Causes of Infertility: Semen Allergy

If you and your partner have had a difficult time trying to conceive, it's likely that you'll want to work with a doctor or a fertility specialist to determine the potential causes of infertility. There can be a number of different potential causes for problems with conception. One of the least common, and therefore also one of the most commonly misdiagnosed, is a female allergy to the male's semen. Read on for a brief overview to what this allergy is, how it works, and alternative methods for conception.

Semen Allergy Overview

Like many other substances in the world, it's possible to develop an allergy to semen. The cause of this, like other allergies, is a natural bodily reaction to the substance. When a woman has an allergy to semen, her body will treat the substance as a foreign invader to her system. The body's response to this invasion is to create a chemical called a histamine. The histamine is designed to block out and destroy the invading and offending allergen. Through the process, however, a number of bad effects can take place for the host body as well; these are the allergic reactions that happen when you come into contact with a substance that you're allergic to.

Symptoms of Semen Allergy

The various symptoms of a semen allergy cause it to frequently be confused with other types of problems that are much more common. Semen allergies can cause vaginal soreness, discoloration, discharge and other symptoms that are common. These symptoms may oftentimes lead doctors to misdiagnose a semen allergy as a yeast infection, herpes or sometimes other sexually transmitted diseases as well.

Recognizing and Treating Semen Allergy

It's important that you recognize when you may have a semen allergy and when it might be another type of reaction or condition that you're suffering from instead. Most semen allergies occur shortly after contact with semen. You may find that you experience a lot of pain immediately following intercourse.

In other cases, the results will be a bit more subtle; you might find that you develop a rash or symptoms as described above several hours or even a day after intercourse. However, the reaction will be closely linked with physical contact with your partner's semen, so there is a good way to determine if you suffer from an allergy of this type by monitoring your reactions in this way.

Although treatment for semen allergy is difficult and uncommon, it can be done. The procedure involves using a sample of the semen to create a serum that is diluted and provided to the woman. The allergic partner thus gradually builds up a general resistance to and tolerance for the semen. The idea is that, over time, you'll be able to be in physical contact with the semen long enough to become pregnant and without your body attacking it as a foreign invader and an offending allergen.

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