Wait, Can You Be Allergic to Your Partner’s Semen?

A semen allergy—often known as seminal plasma hypersensitivity—may cause something from discomfort in your genital and anal area to full-body allergic responses. It could sound scary, however don’t be concerned: This kind of allergy might be managed in quite a lot of methods, relying on its severity.

Unsure if that is what’s taking place to you? Learn on to study what a semen allergy is like, the way it’s recognized, and what you are able to do to maintain issues snug (and secure) within the bed room.

What causes a semen allergy?

A semen allergy is your immune system’s response to the proteins in your accomplice’s seminal fluid, not the precise sperm, says Maureen Whelihan, MD, FACOG, an OB/GYN and American Faculty of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) fellow primarily based in Florida. Semen allergy symptoms can irritate not simply the pores and skin round your genitals but in addition anyplace semen touches, like your palms and even the delicate tissues inside your mouth and throat. Specialists aren’t precisely certain why this occurs, however attainable culprits embody sure drugs or hormonal modifications like being pregnant or menopause.

In accordance with Dr. Whelihan, meals sensitivities would possibly play a job right here, too. For instance, you probably have a peanut allergy and have intercourse with a accomplice who ate peanuts, hint quantities of the nuts can come throughout in physique fluids (like semen) and set off an allergic response, she provides.

There are several types of semen allergy symptoms

Analysis exhibits that there are two types of semen allergy: localized and systemic. Whereas some individuals expertise a localized allergy (aka a response solely on the pores and skin that comes into contact with semen), others expertise a whole-body—or systemic—response. Here is a breakdown of what every entails:

• Localized: Impacts solely areas in direct contact with semen, just like the genitals, palms, or lips, inflicting burning or stinging sensations.
• Systemic: Hits the entire physique, with signs like hassle respiratory, swollen lips or tongue, hives, and even anaphylactic shock, a extreme, probably life-threatening allergic response (extra on this later).

Whereas each might be sequence and warrant a go to to your healthcare supplier, systemic reactions require rapid medical consideration.

What are the signs of a semen allergy?

As famous, lots of the signs of a semen allergy resemble these of different allergic reactions, together with the next, per Dr. Whelihan:

• Itching, redness, swelling, or burning pores and skin
• Hives
• Swollen lips or tongue
• Bother respiratory
• Dizziness
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

It is uncommon for a semen allergy to set off anaphylactic shock, however should you occur to note signs like a swollen throat, weak pulse, or lack of consciousness, search rapid medical consideration at your close by emergency room.

How briskly do the signs present up? You may sometimes discover them inside half-hour of contact (i.e., after sexual exercise), and so they can final hours to days. In some circumstances, you would possibly discover indicators of an allergic response the primary time you have got intercourse with out a condom. However semen allergy symptoms also can occur out of the blue (even when you did not have one prior to now), resembling after menopause or childbirth. Curiously, it will probably additionally have an effect on you with some companions however not with others.

Simply have in mind: A post-sex rash or irritation would not all the time imply you have got a semen allergy, Dr. Whelihan says. Greater than doubtless, irritation is from both an an infection or pores and skin irritant (just like the lube you are utilizing or latex from the condoms) inflicting the problem. Should you’re uncertain of the trigger, your healthcare supplier may also help you work it out.

Who’s most in danger for a semen allergy?

Whereas anybody who has unprotected intercourse can have a semen allergy, it is exceedingly uncommon and tends to have an effect on individuals with a vagina or who “undergo from different allergy symptoms (immune system issues),” Dr. Whelihan says. Whereas some stories have estimated that about 40,000 individuals with vaginas within the U.S. have a semen allergy, this quantity may very well be increased since some individuals really feel embarrassed to deliver the subject up with their healthcare supplier.

In even rarer circumstances, individuals with a penis who produce semen might be allergic to their very own seminal fluid—a situation known as post-orgasmic sickness syndrome. Signs of this situation can occur inside minutes to hours of ejaculation and final for as much as seven days.

Can it trigger infertility points?

Fortunately, being allergic to semen can not immediately contribute to infertility—i.e., issue getting pregnant. That stated, having this sort of allergy could make conception a bit trickier, particularly you probably have a extreme systemic allergy that places your life in danger. Fortunately, there are a lot of choices that will help you get pregnant.

The primary fertility choice is a therapy known as intrauterine insemination (IUI), which entails docs extracting sperm, “washing” them in a medical lab to take away problematic proteins, after which injecting them immediately into your uterus, Dr. Whelihan says. Different choices—often known as assisted reproductive applied sciences (ART)—embody therapies like the next:

Learn how to deal with a semen allergy

Avoiding semen is the best strategy to dodge an allergic response—merely use condoms or skip intercourse. For some individuals, even the pull-out methodology (the place your accomplice pulls his penis out of your physique earlier than ejaculating), might be useful, too, Dr. Whelihan says. However should you’re making an attempt to conceive, these methods most likely will not be the best choice for you. Right here’s how your healthcare supplier would possibly have the ability to assist, in accordance with current analysis:

• Remedy: Taking an antihistamine (like Benadryl) earlier than intercourse can ease signs. Should you’ve had extreme reactions, your healthcare supplier would possibly prescribe an EpiPen (which is used for different kinds of allergic reactions).
• Desensitizing through immunotherapy: This therapy entails step by step exposing your physique to diluted semen through an intravaginal therapy. Over time, it will probably construct tolerance, however you’ll must have intercourse commonly (assume: a number of occasions per week) to keep up it.

Discuss to your supplier to determine the best choice for you.

When to see a healthcare supplier

Should you assume you may need a semen allergy (and it is protecting you from having intercourse along with your accomplice), attain out to your healthcare supplier. It could really feel awkward to deliver it up, however they’re professionals and are there to assist. Signs like swelling, itching, redness, or extra severe signs like hassle respiratory, nausea, or vomiting after intercourse might be handled.

To begin, your healthcare supplier will need to rule out different circumstances like vaginal infections by way of a pelvic examination. As a result of semen allergy symptoms can mimic different circumstances—like STIs, vaginitis, or yeast infections—a pores and skin take a look at (injecting a small quantity of your accomplice’s semen beneath your pores and skin) could assist pinpoint the problem, per Dr. Whelihan.

One other easy take a look at you possibly can attempt at house? Use a condom throughout intercourse. In case your signs disappear, semen may very well be the perpetrator. If not, different allergens like lubricants, spermicides, contraceptives, soaps, and even laundry detergents may be in charge. Regardless of the case, your supplier may also help you unravel it and make it easier to discover aid.