Treatment with intermittent high dose methylprednisolone or intermittent betamethasone for antisperm antibodies: preliminary communication.

Thirty-four men received steroid therapy in an attempt to overcome antisperm antibodies. Fifteen men received intermittent methylprednisolone (MP), 7 men received intermittent betamethasone following a failed course of MP, and 12 men received intermittent betamethasone. The pregnancy rate following steroid treatment, when compared with the expected pregnancy rate for patients with similar duration of infertility, was significantly improved. The titers of antibodies fell during steroid treatment. There were steroid side effects in all groups, although these were less marked in the group that received betamethasone alone. This work provides evidence that steroid treatment alters the expected prognosis and indicates that there is justification for a randomized trial in spite of the risks of treatment.