Madison Area Lyme Support Group

The rapidly increasing global population has bowed the attention of family planning and associated reproductive health programmes in the direction of providing a safe and reliable method which can be used to limit family size. The world population is estimated to exceed a phenomenal 10 billion by the year 2050 A.D., thus presenting a real jeopardy of overpopulation with severe implications for the future. Despite the availability of contraceptive methods, there are over one million elective abortions globally each year due to unintended pregnancies, having devastating impact on reproductive health of women worldwide. This highlights the need for the development of newer and improved contraceptive methods. A novel contraceptive approach that is gaining substantial attention is “immunocontraception” targeting gamete production, gamete outcome, or gamete function. Amongst these, use of sperm antigens (gamete function) seems to be an exciting and feasible approach. However, the variability of immune response and time lag to attain titer among vaccinated individuals after active immunization has highlighted the potential relevance of preformed antibodies in this league. This review is an attempt to analyze the current status and progress of immunocontraceptive approaches with respect to their establishment as a future fertility control agent.

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**Comment**

I’ve been told that antibodies to either hCG or GnRH will cause infertility. In the case of hCG, conception can still take place, but the developing embryo will abort. GnRH, a hypothalamic factor that acts on the pituitary, has also been found in seminal fluid and it appears to increase sperm interaction with the outer layer, or zona pellucida, of the egg. Antibodies to GnRH would prevent conception and may disrupt pituitary action of GnRH and extra pituitary action of GnRH in the gut. GnRH is involved in many other systems. hCG is also produced by cancer cells.

The video came out in May. I have not heard if it has been substantiated but feel this is a grave topic that needs recognition and investigation.  The implications are very, very great and should concern us all.