The Cervical Factor in Infertility: Diagnosis and Treatment

Abstract

One hundred and fourteen women with an abnormal fractional postcoital test (PCT) and no other demonstrable cause of female infertility were included in this study. By utilizing the results of the postcoital test, it was possible to divide the patients into three major groups: (1) those with anatomical cervical defect, (2) those with abnormal cervical mucus, and (3) those with an abnormal PCT and normal cervical mucus. In the latter group the abnormality was due to either an abnormal male factor or an undetermined factor. The treatment used in all cases was either steroidal (diethylstibestrol) or mechanical (cervical cup insemination). In 53 of the patients there was an improvement in the PCT as a direct result of therapy. Twenty-three of these patients became pregnant--a pregnancy rate of 43%. Of the entire group of 110 patients (excluding 4 patients whose husbands had azoospermia), only 21% became pregnant. Of the 57 patients who failed to respond to therapy, 41 have been followed for 1 year, and only 2 pregnancies have been noted without therapy. No correlation was found between an abnormal PCT and the immunologic factor.