title: A reassessment of the fractional postcoital test.
abstract: The present investigation was designed to reassess the fractional postcoital test (PCT). Specifically, the study addressed the question of whether the internal cervical mucus sperm count is significantly different from the sperm counts at other cervical levels. By means of standardized methodology, 25 normal postcoital tests were perfoemed on 22 couples. Cervical mucus from three different levels within the endocervical canal was examined for total count, motility, and sperm morphology. No significant difference could be found in these three parameters among any of the cervical levels (p greater than 0.05). Significantly fewer abnormal sperm were found in the cervical mucus when compared to the total abnormal forms in the semen (p less than 0.001). Therefore, while the fractional PCT is a reflection of cervical sperm, this study indicates that the three different cervical levels in the fractional PCT (internal-mid-external) are equally effective in the interpretation of the postcoital test.
mesh_terms: D002452:Cell Count; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000166:cytology*; D003075:Coitus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods*