Sex Allergy? It Could Be the Sperm

If it's not a headache that's keeping you from getting amorous, it might be an allergy to your husband's sperm, reports the New York Daily News.

What? We've heard of having conflicting political opinions or differing ideas about household duties, but being at war with the bodily fluid of the one you love? That's a whole other thing. And not a sexy one at that.

According to ABCNews.com, between 20,000 to 40,000 women in the US suffer from allergic reactions, said Dr. Andrew Goldstein of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

The condition, called seminal plasma hypersensitivity, can provoke hives, swollen eyes, diarrhea and possibly difficulty breathing within hours of unprotected sex. It usually begins after a period of absintence (think pregnancy, childbirth, or say, if he's been in the doghouse.)

The good news (whew!) is that it is treatable. A serum can be made from the proteins that are causing the problem, and then used like a vaccine to essentially immunize the person having the reaction. This may not work for all couples, in which case the default is to simply use a condom.

Photo courtesy of Tamar Tatlici@sxc.hu.