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Semen Allergies

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Contributor: Nashville Nashville
I heard about this last year after talking with a midwife and she told me to google semen allergy, human seminal plasma hypersensitivity, or antisperm antibodies.

I have had multiple paps and they've all been clean however, I always smell disgusting after sex. I usually get a rash and itch after my husband has ejaculated inside of me, very rarely is there any pain. I was told by my gyno that my ph levels are affected whenever my husband ejaculates which accounts for the foul smell but she said the itchy rashes are from him being too big. Funny, I've used toys that are bigger than my husband (although, he is built well) and I've never had any sort of vaginal discomfort or itching afterward.

Semen allergies are legitimate, the Mayo clinic recognizes it as a true to life thing so don't think I'm putting you on. The way this can be possibly treated is constant exposure to your partner's semen after "desensitization". link It's not just women that are allergic, men can be allergic to their own sperm believe it or not.

Does anyone have any advice to offer? Has anyone gone through anything similiar? Have any stories to share?

The biggest things I have read to counteract against is to use condoms but that's a no-go when we're trying to get pregnant. A semen allergy can also prevent some women from getting pregnant entirely.

Just thought I'd share this since not too many people know about it. link
03/10/2009
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Contributor: Cinnamon Chambers Cinnamon Chambers
I am so serious that we are way too much alike. Message me!!
03/10/2009
Contributor: Machina Machina
My sister had the same problem with her husband a year ago when they were trying to conceive. Her Gynecologist told her to try having sex at least four times a week to see if her body could built up a resistance to her husbands semen. That didn't work so she went through a myriad of tests to try and diagnose her condition. None of which were conclusive.

It ended up that she didn't have an allergy to his semen at all. Before even considering IUI or IVF she insisted her husband get himself checked out too. And the plot thickens...His body was actually killing off all his little unborn children! I'm not exactly sure what caused this, but I do know he was put on steroids. Apparently it worked because I'm going to be a Aunt in 6 more weeks.
03/10/2009
Contributor: Red Red
OMG - I have this issue! the second time my husband (boyfriend at the time) had sex where his semen came into contact with my pink bits (first was broken condom, second was after we took that big removal of the latex step), I broke out in the worst hives ever. That's how allergies work, by the way - your first exposure won't give you, an allergic attack, as your body doesn't know anything about the allergen yet). I get random hive attacks from things like really chlorinated pools, so at first I thought it could be something else (laundry soap? something I ate?), but I continued to get burning sensations, and occasionally, comically over swollen labia. Especially if it had been a while since my last "exposure" (specifically, after summer vacation and such). The allergist I went to said I had probably narrowed it down correctly, said something about it being a blood type thing (I am A, he is B....so maybe?).

So I just make sure I get exposed every few days and it keeps it under control I know I am lucky that it's a low level allergy, as I have read the stories online of throats swelling shut and such. I have recently been thinking I should get an epi-pen to carry onto play dates, or have at home incase the allergy takes a rapid turn for the worst (which can happen), just in case. I haven't bothered yet as body fluid exchange with outside partners is not ok and so not something I should be expecting to happen - but the safety geek in me is starting to think I should always be prepared in case of a random drop in my eye or nose or something.

Dunno about the smell, however.

So my advice, and take it with a grain of salt cuz everyone is different, is to try and get exposure every 48 hours or so and monitor what's happening with your allergic response. If you're lucky, it'll be low level and maybe you'll be similar to me and find it dimishes in severity over time. Now a days its very rare that I get the burning, and I never get hives or swollen labia. I do miss the swollen labia, they were so freaking funny. It was just the inner ones and they swelled like 10 times in size. it was like I had a different vagina all of a sudden
03/10/2009
Contributor: Cinnamon Chambers Cinnamon Chambers
Ok, sheew I wasn't going to post the details but I have the same issue. Exposure of oh say 8 to 14 times a week for ten years has not changed it. I did not do it before my hubby, or with other people. Only him. He is a non smoker, and has the same blood type as me. It took me forever to figure it out and to have a Dr that believed me.
03/10/2009
Contributor: Gary Gary
I am not making fun of this at all, but this is pretty mind blowing to me. As animals, we are really only designed to do a few specific things.
03/11/2009
Contributor: Cinnamon Chambers Cinnamon Chambers
But apparently my husbands sperm isn't supposed to enter my vagina. Anyway...I don't want a start a big debate or anything...but I honestly wonder if it has to do with the abundance of anthrax, etc, etc shots he has received in the military.
03/11/2009
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
I have reactions, on occasion, to Taylor's semen AND his spit. It has nothing to do with how often I'm exposed but seems to be something whacky in his body that changes on occasion.

We joke that he's caustic.
03/11/2009
Contributor: Polyserena Polyserena
Quote:
Originally posted by Nashville
I heard about this last year after talking with a midwife and she told me to google semen allergy, human seminal plasma hypersensitivity, or antisperm antibodies.

I have had multiple paps and they've all been clean however, I always smell ... more
Might be a topic the guys will like in this one...more oral?

I think I have had itchiness with ejaculate inside me too, but I really think its a pH thing because of the alkalinity of the sperm. Theres some funny enzymes in sperm too, so I wouldn't be so sure you have an allergy. Plus fructose to make them swim faster! A sugar. Yummy for the buggies.

I don't know if there is an answer to preventing sperm allergies yet. I heard that theoretically oral sex is supposed to be good for preventing allergies and anal sex can create semen allergy (if he's not wearing a condom). Though it's a bit either way- (I've heard on the internet someone proposing the opposite theory for oral) and I don't have any solid references sorry. Worth keeping an eye on the evidence though.

The way I understand the development of an allergy, It's like the body has a bit of a memory of which things it's suposed to like but also which ones its supposed to ignore. Just having a bit of a guess, I think the mouth is supposed to be a good route to expose things to because our bodies are set up to try not to get allergies to the foods we eat.

An interesting thing I seem to remember from a course I did is that allergy sensitisation may follow inflammation ...so if people are getting inflamed vaginas because of pH issues or concurrent infections it might mean an allergy could develop because in that situation the body is programmed to recognise things it is exposed to as bad. This is just something I remember from a lecture, I hope i interpreted it correctly. Dammit immunology is complicated. Interesting but confusing!
12/04/2009