Autoimmune aspects of human infertility.

Both men and women make antibodies against human sperm. For a complete diagnostic evaluation of an infertile couple, we must test the two serum samples, plus her cervical mucus and his sperm cells. The antibody factor occurs in 9% of men and in 12-15% of women from infertile couples, and at various titers. The standard, or classical, methods for antibody detection in serum include several agglutination methods: Gelatin Agglutination Test (GAT), Tumbe-Slide Agglutination Test (TSAT), Tray Agglutination Test (TAT), and Capillary Tube Agglutination Test (CTAT), plus the immobilization (Isojima). There are also newer methods; passive hemagglutination, radiolabel-antiglobulin, ATR-release cytotoxicity, hemadsorption, indirect immunobead, and ELISA. The genital secretions must also be studied. Sperm cells are judged to be antibody-coated by use of the Mixed Anti-Globulin Reaction (MAR) test or the Immunobead Test (IBT). Cervical mucus is dissolved with bromelin and tested.