Which cervical or vaginal issue can lead to female subfertility?

• A. Sperm-immobilizing antibodies
• B. Endometrial polyps
• C. Ovarian torsion
• D. Pelvic inflammatory disease

Answer: (A)

Subfertility can result from factors in the cervix or vagina that block or impair the sperm before it meets the egg. Sperm-immobilizing antibodies in cervical or vaginal secretions attach to sperm and stop their movement or cause clumping. This immune reaction inside the cervix/vagina directly reduces the chances of fertilization by preventing sperm from effectively traveling through cervical mucus to reach the egg, making it the most relevant cervical/vaginal cause.

Endometrial polyps are uterine and mainly affect implantation rather than the initial sperm–egg encounter. Ovarian torsion is an acute ovarian emergency with no bearing on fertilization. Pelvic inflammatory disease involves the upper genital tract and can cause infertility via tubal damage, but it’s not a cervical or vaginal issue.