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

This is nuts!For a small but suffering contingent of women, an allergy to semen is seriously interfering with intimacy.A semen allergy, also known as seminal plasma hypersensitivity (SPH), is a rare reaction to proteins found in male spermatic fluid, according to the Cleveland Clinic.SPH is recognized as a Type 1 hypersensitivity, characterized by a rapid, exaggerated immune response to an allergen, putting semen in the same category as peanuts and pet dander.For those afflicted, reactions to exposure to ejaculate run the gamut from burning, itching, redness and swelling of the vulva or vagina to hives, shortness of breath, dizziness and even anaphylaxis.One Colorado college student with SPH reported that oral sex led to inflammation and temporary facial paralysis.

She said that the severity of the side effects depends on the quantity of sperm she’s encountered.Experts believe the condition, which can be life-threatening if there’s anaphylaxis, is underreported.SPH was first documented in 1967, when a woman was hospitalized following a “violent allergic reaction” to sex.For the next three decades, it was assumed that SPH affected fewer than 100 women worldwide.Yet, a 1997 study led by allergist Jonathan Bernstein revealed that nearly 12% of reported postcoital symptoms could be classified as SPH.In 2013, Michael Carroll, an associate professor in reproductive science, conducted a small, unpublished survey that found a similar rate.However, he maintains that the true number may be much higher.“Many cases go unreported, misdiagnosed or dismissed as STIs, yeast infections or general ‘sensitivity,’ ” Carroll wrote this week in The Conversation.“A 2024 study reinforced this finding, suggesting that SPH is both more common and more commonly misdiagnosed than previously believed.”This condition is now believed to affect one in 40,000 people.Experts maintain that the main allergen is not sperm cells themselves, but prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in...