The postcoital tests.

Both in vitro and in vivo methods of evaluating midcycle cervical mucus-spermatozoa interaction as a cause of infertility are described. The in vivo fractional postcoital test (PCT) is the only in vivo test that evaluates both partners in 1 testing system. It should be performed within 2 hours after coitus and day of examination should be 1 or 2 days prior to expected rise in basal body temperature. Test protocol is described in detail. In a normal test there should be at least 5 motile sperm per high power field at the internal os level and the spinnbarkeit measurement should be no less than 6 cm. The in vitro systems study initial sperm penetration into mucus. The simplest test using capillary tubes is the one described by Schwartz and Zinsser. This has been modified by others until now the most commonly referred to test is 1 described by Kremer in 1965. He glued a capillary tube on a centimeter scale and placed a reservoir for the semen on 1 end. The scale can be examined microscopically for depth of sperm penetration. The slide test 1st described in 1932 consists of placing a drop of semen and a crop of cervical mucus on a clean glass slide and bringing the specimens into contact by a single cover slip. The interface formed is the phase line. This simple technique has been used by many investigators who report phalangeal intrusions related to sperm motility. Since the exact interaction in vitro is still unclear the validity of the slide test as a reflection of what might be taking place in vivo must still be questioned.