Postcoital test: physiologic basis, technique, and interpretation.

The postcoital test determines the adequacy of sperm and the receptivity of cervical mucus. It is the only test which evaluates the interaction between sperm and the female genital tract fluids. The Sims-Huhner test should be an integral part of an infertility investigation, but it must not be used as a substitute for semen analysis. Since cervical mucus accurately reflects the ovarian cycle, the PC test is a useful indicator of the endocrine preparation of the female reproductive system. It is also an important method for the evaluation of a variety of contraceptive steroids which may act directly or indirectly upon cervical secretion. For best results the test should be properly timed, meticulously performed, and knowledgeably interpreted.