A sperm or semen allergy is rare. Only 20,000-40,000 people are thought to have this type of allergy, according to Discovery Health. The allergy is not actually to the sperm but to the semen or more specifically, a protein in the semen.
Symptoms of a semen allergy, also called seminal plasma hypersensitivity, are redness, swelling, pain, itching or burning in the vaginal area that occurs 10 -30 minutes after exposure to semen. If other areas of the body have been exposed to semen such as the mouth or skin, the symptoms may occur there.
Additionally if the allergy is more severe, hives can or shortness of breath can develop. Symptoms can last for a couple of hours to a few days.
It can be difficult to diagnose semen allergies in women, as they may not have this reaction to all sexual partners.
Semen allergies are often misdiagnosed as a vaginal infection, yeast infection or sexually transmitted disease (STD). It can be doubly hard to diagnose if a woman suffers from both an infection and semen allergy at the same time, like the following couple described by ABC news.
Clara and Jeff (not their real names) were madly in love and had recently married. Clara began developing symptoms of an allergic response soon after having sex with Jeff. She went to her local gynecologist and even went to several other doctors trying to find out why she was having reactions after being intimate with Jeff.
The couple searched the Internet for clues and figured out that Clara was having an allergic reaction to Jeff’s semen. They tried using condoms to prevent her from being exposed to the semen, but it still didn’t help. To top matters off, Clara was getting yeast infections after having sex with Jeff.
The situation was ruining their life and taking a toll on their marriage. They finally found help from expert Dr. Jonathan Bernstein, a professor at the University of Cincinnati who specializes in allergies and immunology.
Treatment for semen allergies involves isolating the protein from the man’s semen and doing skin testing on the woman to confirm the allergy. Then the woman goes through a process of being desensitized to the allergen.
The woman receives intravaginal “graded challenges” using serial dilutions of the man’s seminal fluid injected with a syringe into her vagina every 15-20 minutes over a two to three hour period.
Then, the couple is told to have sex within 12 hours of the last exposure and document the response. If things are improved, then the couple is told to have sex again in a couple of days and every few days after, and continue to track how things are going.
This is what Clara and Jeff did under Dr. Bernstein’s guidance. Clara was finally able to have sex with Jeff without the allergic reactions she was having before.
If you suspect you may be having an allergic reaction while having sex, you should contact an allergist. It is possible that the allergy is to the lubricant, spermicide, latex or substance in any additional sex toys being used.
It is also worth noting that having an allergy to semen should not interfere with fertility. Sperm can be inseminated after cleansing the protein out of the semen, so a woman will no longer have a reaction to it.
Sources:
WHAT ARE SOME SPERM ALLERGY SYMPTOMS? Discovery Fit and Health. Retrieved Oct. 26, 2013.
http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/allergies/skin-aller...
What is sperm allergy? International Society for Sexual Medicine. Retrieved Oct. 26, 2013.
http://www.issm.info/education-for-all/sexual-health-qa/what-is-sperm-al...
Allergy to Husband's Sperm Was 'Game-Changer' in Marriage. April 10, 2012. ABCnews.com.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/allergy-sperm-game-changer-marriage/story?i...
Michele is an R.N. freelance writer with a special interest in woman’s healthcare and quality of care issues. Other articles by Michele are at www.helium.com/users/487540/show_articles
Edited by Jody Smith