Causes of infertility - cervical factor

During ovulation, cervical mucus should be thin, slippery, clear, viscous and extensible to provide favourable conditions for the sperm to move towards the egg. In women with a cervical factor, the mucus does not change its properties at the time of ovulation, thus having an adverse effect on the partner's sperm.

Although the presence of abnormal cervical mucus does not prevent pregnancy by natural means, it significantly reduces the chances of having a child by increasing the average time to conceive naturally by almost twofold. In addition to the phenomenon of the cervical mucus barrier during ovulation, the cervical factor includes anatomical abnormalities within the cervix (e.g. after treatment of erosion).

How do we diagnose „hostile mucus”?

The quality of the cervical mucus during the fertile days can be assessed with a PCT test performed approximately twelve hours after intercourse. The test is only carried out if the partner has semen with good parameters (the quality of the semen should be examined before the PCT test). During the analysis, the secretion taken from the cervix is viewed under a microscope and the sperm of the partner present is assessed.

A normal PCT test result is the presence of at least six active sperm under 400x magnification. If the number of spermatozoa is adequate but they are not mobile, this suggests an immunological cause of infertility, i.e. an abnormal reaction of the woman's immune system to the semen. The absence of sperm in a cervical mucus sample gives an abnormal result.

When diagnostic tests have shown the absence of other fertility factors and the PCT test has detected abnormal cervical mucus, the couple may benefit from an intrauterine insemination procedure. If unsuccessful, the procedure bypassing the existing barrier is performed again, but no more than a total of 3-5 times.