Post coital testing, the microscopic evaluation of cervical mucus following intercourse, is a test commonly used to determine whether numbers of sperm sufficient to fertilize an egg are reaching a woman's body. The test is often used to decide whether artificial insemination might be helpful in treating a couple's infertility.
A favorable result indicates that cervical mucus quality is satisfactory, the man produces good quality sperm, and that the sperm and mucus are compatible. Poor results may indicate that the test was performed at the wrong time of the menstrual cycle. Alternatively, semen may not have been deposited properly into the vagina, the man might not be producing an adequate number of active sperm, cervical mucus might be of insufficient or poor quality or, finally, there may be incompatibility between sperm and mucus.
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Post Coital Test (PCT)