Unexplained or idiopathic infertility: a possible role of some immune mechanisms

ABSTRACT

Fourty one patients with unexplained or idiopathic infertility were chosen from a total of 294 women with primary infertility. A complete medical history, a thorough physical examination and a full investigation of reproductive function were done. A control group consisting of 40 women of proven fertility were included in the study. Determination of circulating immune complexes [CICs] and sperm-agglutinating antibodies [SAA] in the sera of patients and controls were performed. The results of the study showed that the CICs were positive in 16 [39%] of 41 infertile women while none of the fertile women had positive test result, furthermore the duration of infertility was positively correlated with the CICs level in the sera of patients with unexplained or idiopathic infertility. Of the 41 infertile women 18 [43.9%] were positive for SAA, whereas only 6 [15%] of the 40 fertile women were positive [a statistically significant difference], also presence of SAA was positively correlated with the duration of infertility. There was a positive correlation between the presence of CICs and SAA in the sera of women with unexplained or idiopathic infertility of 3 years duration or more, of the 18 infertile women with positive SAA, 10 women had positive CICs