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Post Coital Test, PCT
The PCT determines the ability of the
male's sperm
to survive in the partner’s cervical mucus.
The couple has intercourse no less than two hours
and no more than four hours before coming to our office.
This test is usually done between cycle days 12-15,
around the time of ovulation. 
A sample of the cervical mucus is taken
and the status of the sperm is evaluated. Sometimes
the male or the female will produce antibodies to
the sperm causing it to be incapacitated. The presence
of numerous dead or nonmoving sperm in the PCT may
indicate an antibody problem.
Some women do not produce adequate
quantities of mucus or its viscosity (thickness) is
abnormal.
Intrauterine
insemination (IUI) is often the treatment of choice
for couples with mucus problems. In the IUI procedure,
specially washed and prepared sperm are injected directly
into the uterus thus bypassing the cervical mucus.
Mycoplasma
Mycoplasma are small bacteria like
organisms that are suspected to cause several urologic,
obstetric and gynecologic disorders, such as pelvic
inflammatory disease, urethritis, and pregnancy
loss. The organism is quite commonly cultured
and easily treated with antibiotic therapy, with excellent
results. The organism lives in the male prostate gland
and is transmitted during intercourse. It is easily
cultured and treated effectively with antibiotic therapy,
yielding excellent results.
Ovulation Detection
LH kits measure the amount of leutinizing hormone present in the urine. The LH level increases markedly approximately twenty-four hours prior to ovulation. LH kits are most useful for timing certain tests, such as the Post Coital test, or for timing artificial inseminations and intercourse.
Basal Body Temperature
Basal Body Temperature charts can also be used to document ovulation. The body temperature rises after ovulation because of the secretion of progesterone in the second half of the cycle. The body temperature is taken before arising from bed and the information is recorded on a chart to be reviewed with Dr. Kustin.
A rise in temperature usually indicates that ovulation has occurred. This test is not as accurate as monitoring levels of LH in the urine and is problematic because it is a retrospective test that has no correlation to the quality of ovulation.
Endometrial Biopsy
It is imperative that an implanting embryo encounters a uterine lining that is receptive so that early miscarriage does not occur. The endometrial biopsy involves taking a small sample of the endometrium (lining of the uterus) to evaluate the luteal phase of the cycle. The biopsy is usually performed approximately twelve days after the LH surge just before the onset of menstruation.
The biopsy specimen is examined and the correlation between the microscopic appearance of the endometrium and the cycle day evaluated. If the correlation is good, and the endometrial biopsy is IN PHASE, it is valuable reassurance that the lining of the uterus is receptive to an implanting pregnancy.
Chlamydia Antibody Testing
Chlamydia is an organism that is sexually
transmitted to the female and may cause damage
to the fallopian tubes. This damage may be present
even if the tubes look normal (microscopic damage).
It is therefore important to know if exposure to this
organism has occurred in the past. With the detection
of an antibody to Chlamydia in the blood, a suspicion
of tubular damage may arise.
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