Postcoital tests and sperm-agglutinating antibodies in men.
Postcoital tests (PCTs) were examined from couples where the husbands had circulating head-to-head (H-H) or tail-to-tail (T-T) sperm-agglutinating antibodies. The results were compared with findings in couples without antibodies. The presence of H-H sperm-agglutinating antibodies did not interfere with the outcome of the PCT. High serum titers of T-T sperm-agglutinating antibodies, the presence of such antibodies in the seminal fluid, and/or a strong or complete autoagglutination in the husband's ejaculate markedly reduced the number of invading spermatozoa as well as their survival in the PCT. A moderate titer of T-T sperm-agglutinating antibodies was also reflected in the PCT but low titers did not have any influence on the results.
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D003075:Coitus; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013073:Sperm Agglutination; D013077:Sperm Head; D013082:Sperm Tail; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies