Anti-Sperm Antibodies: Prevalence of Ig A and Ig G Positive Serology among Infertile Patients in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo

Introduction: Infertility in a couple is a stressful situation. Among the causes is the presence of antisperm antibodies that play a harmful role in reducing fertility and negatively influencing in vitro fertilization. The aim of this study is to determine their prevalence among infertile patients in Kisangani. Patients and methods: We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study in health facilities in the city of Kisangani. Of the 1379 patients who consulted for conception, 311 were tested for antisperm antibodies by ELISA. Results: Of the 311 patients, 121 tested positive (38.91%). Women were significantly more likely to be positive (p-value = 0.013). Ig G was positive in 32.48% of patients and Ig A in 10.93%. Age was a significant predictor of the number of positive patients (p-value < 0.001). Compared to patients of ≤30 years of age, having 31 to 40 years of age or 41 years of age and older increased respectively 2 and 3 times the risk of being positive. In secondary infertility, women are twice as likely to be positive. Conclusion: The prevalence of antisperm antibodies is very high among infertile patients in Kisangani with predominance among women. Older age increases the risk of positivity. This test should therefore be integrated into infertility investigations as often as possible.