Woman diagnosed with rare sperm allergy after believing she was infertile
The unnamed female from Lithuania had been trying to conceive with her male partner but had not become pregnant.
Two rounds of IVF also failed to produce a pregnancy, but gynecological exams did not find any underlying causes for why she was unable to become pregnant.
After doctors discovered she had a history of asthma and sensitivity to inhaled allergens, such as mold, cat fur, and dust, she visited a medical facility to see if her symptoms might be affecting her fertility.
Allergy tests revealed that she had a sensitivity to 'Can f 5', which can cause allergic symptoms after contact with male dog urine, fur, and human semen.
In an interview, the patient confirmed that she experienced nasal congestion and sneezing after unprotected intercourse with her male partner.
Further tests using samples of semen collected from the woman's partner revealed she had a condition known as seminal plasma hypersensitivity, a rare allergic reaction to proteins found in seminal fluid - the fluid released during orgasm that includes sperm, as well as other bodily secretions.
There are less than 100 documented cases of the condition globally and while it doesn't directly cause infertility, it can make it more difficult to conceive.
Symptoms of semen allergy - which happens when you have a harmful immune system reaction to proteins in semen - include a change in skin color, burning, and swelling where semen contacts the skin or vaginal tissues.
Some people may have a whole-body response, including hives, itching and difficulty breathing.
Due to discomfort, this allergy may discourage sexual activity and in some cases, lead to difficulty with conception.
However, there are treatment options available to help couples conceive despite the allergy.
The Mayo Clinic notes that treatment to make you less sensitive to your partner's semen - such as using antihistamines or corticosteroids - may allow you to get pregnant naturally.
Another option is intrauterine insemination (IUI), which uses sperm washed free of semen proteins to prevent a reaction.
For those with a severe sensitivity to semen, assisted reproductive technology such as IVF may be an option for pregnancy.
It isn't clear why the female patient's IVF treatments did not work, given semen would not have been present in the implanted embryos.
Another method used to treat seminal plasma hypersensitivity involves introducing increasing concentrations of semen into the patient's body to build tolerance.
However, this treatment plan wasn't available for the woman in her home country, according to a report in Live Science.
Instead, doctors recommended that the woman take antihistamine medication before intercourse to reduce the severity of her allergic reactions.
She followed their instructions but found this approach 'ineffective'.
Three years later, the woman said that she had still been unable to conceive during a follow-up appointment.
To make matters worse, new allergic symptoms appeared after contact with her partner's semen, including a 'burning sensation in her vulva, puffy eyelids and watery eyes'.
No further treatments were recommended, according to the report and it is unclear if the woman went on to conceive eventually.
Dr Michael Carroll, associate professor in reproductive science at Manchester Metropolitan University in England, said seminal plasma hypersensitivity may affect more people than previously thought - and often goes undiagnosed.
Writing for The Conversation, he warned it is often mistaken for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), yeast infections, and general sensitivity.
But one clue you're in fact 'allergic to sex', is 'symptoms disappearing when condoms are used', he revealed.
The sex allergy is now recognized as a 'type 1 hypersensitivity', falling into the same category as peanut allergy, cat dander, and season allergies.
Seminal plasma hypersensitivity was first documented in 1967, when a woman was hospitalized after a 'violent allergic reaction' to sex.
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