ABSTRACT
Afollicular premature ovarian failure may result from a variety of causes. Infections have the most impact at periods of high follicle turnover such as at birth, puberty, and peripartum. An increasingly large body of evidence points to an autoimmune etiology of some cases of premature menopause. Immunizing guinea pigs with extracts of sperm, testis, or purified sperm antigens will lead to an autoimmune reaction if an adjuvant is used. Multiple antigen doses are required without adjuvant, and a milder form of disease develops. Several forms of immunotherapy have been attempted in the guinea pig model. These include an immunosuppressive effect of antithymocyte serum, prednisolone, and Nirada-zole. Immunotherapy has been attempted in both men and women with antisperm antibodies. Most attempts have utilized corticosteroids. Antiovum antibodies may interfere with fertility. F. Sotsiu et al. examined ovum fluorescence in secondary or antral follicles of monkey ovary where antigens are mature.
