title: Association between failure to impregnate after vasovasostomy and sperm agglutinins in semen.
abstract: Sperm agglutinins emerging from the reopened part of the vas deferens were found in the seminal fluid of 10 out of 29 men after vasovasostomy. There was a strong association between the presence of these antibodies and the failure to impregnate over a period of 14 to 33 months. Of 20 couples, 11 pregnancies resulted among the 13 women whose men had no sperm agglutinins in the seminal fluid, but only 1 among the 7 whose men had such antibodies, 2p = 0.0044. The presence of sperm agglutinins in the seminal fluid was always associated with their presence in the serum, usually in a higher titre. Preoperative serum levels thus are highly predictive of ability to impregnate after reversal of vasectomy.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D013073:Sperm Agglutination; D013076:Sperm Count; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D013243:Sterilization Reversal; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies