Woman Allergic to New Husband's Sperm, Wednesday November 4, 2009

So. Umm.

Let me start that again.

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So. Umm. Imagine getting married and having sex for the first time without a condom on your wedding night and finding yourself in excruciating pain. Why you ask? Ohhhh, you're allergic to your husband's sperm... right. Glad we got the awkward part out of the way, on with the news!

In 2002, long time friends Micheal and Julie Boyde started dating one year after starting a new life at college, "I didn't ask her out until after our first year in college," Mike Boyde, 27, said. "We were just friends the whole way through high school."

The couple became engaged two years later. They married in 2005 and spent their wedding night at a bed and breakfast. Excited that this new chapter had their life on a roll, the only missing piece to their puzzle was a bouncing baby. But shortly after marriage, unprotected sex became a painful routine because Julie Boyde is allergic to her husband's semen.

Julie Boyde said, "Before we were always very careful and, you know, used protection, and that time we didn't so, we figured we were married now, so if we got pregnant, we got pregnant. Pretty much right after, I knew something was not right because I was in a lot of pain," she said. "The pain that I was feeling was inside, kind of like, somebody was sticking needles up inside of me and like a burning, like really painful burning."

OUCH! So what's the deal with this allergy?

What kinds of allergic reactions can people have to semen?
People can have localized problems after immediate contact with semen. They can have burning, pain and swelling that can occur for long periods of time. Typically it affects the outer vaginal vault area, though it can also affect the inner vault. Some women describe severe burning and pain, where it feels like 1,000 needles have been injected in them at one time.

Some people can have a systemic response that involves trouble with breathing, hives and soft tissue swelling. In rare cases, people have had what we call vascular collapse or anaphylaxis where they can pass out. But we haven't had any fatalities that we're aware of with this condition; deaths are more likely to occur as the result of a classic anaphylactic response. And some people can have both localized and systemic responses.

Symptoms can last from hours to days. They typically occur within 20 to 30 minutes, most often within five minutes.

What in semen are people allergic to?
People are allergic to proteins in semen. We don't really know which proteins are responsible at this point. Many of the proteins associated with the semen allergy are believed to be common proteins found in all semen, but it's also possible for people to be allergic to a protein that is unique to an individual.

The systemic reaction is believed to be linked to a specific IgE antibody that is triggered by the protein; this antibody response is similar to what occurs in people who have seasonal allergies. There are probably multiple causes of the localized reaction. A delayed type of hypersensitivity response similar to what occurs with poison ivy may be involved.

Did you know that was possible? I sure didn't.

GMA reported,
The condition is called seminal plasma hypersensitivity, and an estimated 20,000 to 40,000 women in the United States may have it, Goldstein said.

(ps this is like 40,000 people, and I find it funny that I actually stumbled on this picture with 40,000 grooms and brides)

Jonathan Bernstein, an immunologist at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, said, "It can be systemic and present anaphylaxis where individuals have not just localized discomfort. They actually can have hives, soft tissue swelling … and, in the severe situations … they can ... potentially die."
But the diagnosis can be devastating for women like Boyde, who are hoping to get pregnant.
"In a person with a semen allergy, you can have infertility because the body is attacking the sperm, making them inactive, so they are unable to fertilize the egg," Goldstein said.
For religious reasons in vitro fertilization was not an option for the Boydes.

But a revolutionary new treatment offers hope for these poor sperm-ulated women. Goldstein has developed a desensitization treatment. The treatment is like receiving an allergy shot, ewww shots. But it works, its worth it, this shpeel might kill you. Goldstein said that after determining the three proteins in Mike Boyde's semen that triggered his wife's reaction, the lab created a serum from his semen that is used almost like a vaccine to immunize his wife.

Sad to say, these shots did not work for Julie and they are currently looking into adoption. So ladies, watch out for the sperm that might make your baby-maker cringe. We hear it's pretty painful.

Moral of the day: Take your vitamins, drink water, stay healthy, and test the sperm you come into contact with before the actual contact. If you're drunk, take a sample and tell the guy you'll be back in an hour or so.