The mechanisms involved by which the cyclic changes of nomal cervical mucus either block or enhance sperm migration in the female genital tract are largely due to the biophysical changes which take place during menstrual cycle. If these mechanisms are well understood, it may be possible to develop ways by which normal mid-cycle cervical mucus can be safely altered to be aneffective barrier of sperm migration.
On other hand, steroidal contraceptives containing progestogen induce characteristic physicochem
ical changes in the cervical mucus, which are considered to be significant for the contraceptive effect, in view of the definite inhibition of sperm migration in cervical mucus. Therefore, comparison of the biophysical properties of cervical mucus obtained from the normal menstrual cycle and oral contraceptive group may be an interesting study. The author applied a new microscopic technique described by Davajanx et al, that is, the stretching of cervical mucus prior to slow drying (under cover slip) inl order to demonstrate its biophysical characteristics, the observed denditic crystal patterns are compared each other and measured their sizes. Studies were performed on each ten cases from the proliferative, ovulatory, and secretory phases of the normal menstrual cycle and twenty cases of oral contraceptive group, and seven cases of early pregnancy.
The results are as follows:
1. The predominant feature of the stretched mucus obtained from a normal proliferative phase and mid-cycle is the parallel linear alignment of the dendritic crystals, but that of secretory phases -jeavealed the dendritic crystals to be in a network pattern. 2. The parallel orientation of dendritic crystals with the formation of clear channels may be essential for successful migration of sperm.
3. The stretched mucus of the oral contraceptive group revealed the dendritic crystals to be in a network pattern without regard to menstrual days. Network pattern of oral contraceptive group did not differ; from that of secretory phase.
4. Network pattern of the dendritic crystals may inhibit the way of sperm migration.
5. The stretched mucus of the early pregnant women showed the parallel arrangement of the coluinns, which are consists of two phase contrasted components in cervical mucus.
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