Abstract

PIP: A simplified technique for evaluating the biophysical properties of cervical mucus was presented. The mucus was stretched on a microscope slide, and a cover slip was placed over a portion of the sample and dried for 24-48 hours at 37 degrees C. Photomicrographs were taken under dark-field illumination. Mucus samples representative of the normal midcycle (Day 12), proliferative phase (Day 8), secretory phase (Day 26), and midcycle from an infertile patient with diagnosis of hostile cervical mucus were examined. The normal midcycle mucus showed linear alignment of dendritic crystals. The proliferative sample showed linear alignment, but the dendritic crystals were sparse, widely spaced, and reduced in branching compared with the normal midcycle mucus. Secretory mucus showed the dendritic crystals in a network pattern instead of in the linear alignment. The abnormal (infertile) midcycle mucus showed evidence of alignment; however, the dendritic crystals were very wide and appeared obstructive. These results indicate that there is a cyclic change in cervical mucus which is reflected in the pattern of the dendritic crystals formed.