Semen allergy is real — and often misdiagnosed. Here are the troubling signs

This is nuts!

For a mini but suffering contingent of women, an allergy to semen is earnestly interfering pinch intimacy.

A semen allergy, besides known arsenic seminal plasma hypersensitivity (SPH), is simply a uncommon guidance to proteins recovered successful antheral spermatic fluid, according to nan Cleveland Clinic.

SPH is recognized arsenic a Type 1 hypersensitivity, characterized by a rapid, exaggerated immune consequence to an allergen, putting semen successful nan aforesaid class arsenic peanuts and pet dander.

For those afflicted, reactions to vulnerability to ejaculate tally nan gamut from burning, itching, redness and swelling of nan vulva aliases pussy to hives, shortness of breath, dizziness and moreover anaphylaxis.

One Colorado assemblage student pinch SPH reported that oral activity led to inflammation and impermanent facial paralysis. She said that nan severity of nan broadside effects depends connected nan amount of sperm she’s encountered.

Experts judge nan condition, which tin beryllium life-threatening if there’s anaphylaxis, is underreported.

SPH was first documented successful 1967, erstwhile a female was hospitalized pursuing a “violent allergic reaction” to sex.

For nan adjacent 3 decades, it was assumed that SPH affected less than 100 women worldwide.

Yet, a 1997 study led by allergist Jonathan Bernstein revealed that astir 12% of reported postcoital symptoms could beryllium classified arsenic SPH.

In 2013, Michael Carroll, an subordinate professor successful reproductive science, conducted a small, unpublished study that recovered a akin rate.

However, he maintains that nan existent number whitethorn beryllium overmuch higher.

“Many cases spell unreported, misdiagnosed aliases dismissed arsenic STIs, yeast infections aliases wide ‘sensitivity,’ ” Carroll wrote this week successful The Conversation.

“A 2024 study reinforced this finding, suggesting that SPH is some much communal and much commonly misdiagnosed than antecedently believed.”

This information is now believed to affect 1 successful 40,000 people.

Experts support that nan main allergen is not sperm cells themselves, but prostate-specific antigen (PSA) successful seminal plasma.

Interestingly, location appears to beryllium cross-reactivity.

Carroll notes that Can f 5, a macromolecule recovered successful canine dander, is structurally akin to quality PSA, meaning that women allergic to dogs whitethorn person a higher likelihood of experiencing an allergic guidance to semen.

It is besides imaginable to beryllium exposed to an allergen done ejaculate.

In 2022, OnlyFans star Lucy Banks shared her experience of suffering an allergic guidance to peanuts from her partner’s ejaculate.

She has since been spreading a informing to others astir nan dangers of sexually transmitted nutrient allergies — particularly from a peanut-loaded penis.

Diagnosis of SPH is, of course, made via tegument prick.

While condoms mitigate nan consequence of allergen vulnerability to PSA, for immoderate unlucky lovers, allergies to semen and condoms make intimacy peculiarly troublesome.

SPH does not straight origin infertility, though conception tin beryllium challenging. Treatments for would-be parents see antihistamine medicine earlier intercourse, anti-inflammatories aft and/or desensitization therapy utilizing diluted seminal plasma.

In cases wherever nan allergic guidance is severe, immoderate couples move to IVF utilizing washed sperm free from seminal plasma to divert nan allergic trigger.

In uncommon instances, men tin beryllium allergic to semen.

Known arsenic post-orgasmic unwellness syndrome (POIS), nan information is characterized by utmost fatigue, weakness, a fever aliases sweating, temper changes aliases irritability, problems concentrating, a stuffy chemoreceptor and itching eyes pursuing intercourse.

These symptoms tin hap wrong seconds, minutes aliases moreover a fewer hours aft ejaculation — and they tin past from 2 to 7 days.

POIS was first documented successful 2002, and much than 50 cases person been recorded worldwide. However, experts judge that, akin to SPH, nan existent incidence complaint could beryllium moreover higher.

Believed to beryllium an autoimmune consequence aliases allergic reaction, POIS is besides diagnosed via tegument testing.