Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and Fertility

Immunological Approaches to Fertility

Immunological approaches to fertility focus on understanding how the immune system can impact reproductive health and how immune responses may contribute to infertility. The immune system plays a key role in protecting the body from infections, but in some cases, it can mistakenly target reproductive cells or tissues, leading to infertility. This can occur in both men and women, and immune-related infertility is often linked to conditions such as autoimmune disorders or immune rejection of sperm or embryos. In women, immune infertility can involve the female reproductive tract’s immune response to sperm, often causing issues with sperm survival or fertilization. Other immunological factors that can affect fertility include chronic inflammation, abnormal mucosal immunity in the cervix. Immunological fertility treatments focus on addressing immune system-related factors that may hinder conception or implantation.

Common immunological fertility treatments include:

• Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)
• Intralipid infusion therapy
• Corticosteroids
• Low-dose aspirin and heparin
• Steroid therapy for anti-sperm antibodies
• Immunosuppressive drugs