There are cases when when examining a sterile couple, no obvious pathologies are revealed in the man and woman. Problems with conception arise against the background of the full health of both spouses. In such cases, doctors prescribe a Kurzrock-Miller test. This examination shows the compatibility of a man’s sperm with a woman’s cervical mucus. How is this test conducted? And what to do with incompatible partners? We will answer these questions in the article.
Test Methods
The mucus of the cervical canal in a woman changes its properties at different periods of the menstrual cycle. During ovulation, the secretion of the cervical glands becomes more permeable to sperm penetration. This is the norm and is necessary for conception.
However, there are cases when cervical mucus remains thick during the release of the egg. This makes the fertilization process impossible. Sperm lose their mobility in a viscous environment. In such cases, doctors recommend a Kurzrock-Miller test. During the analysis, the contact of cervical mucus and sperm is examined.
The analysis is carried out in two ways:
With a direct test on the day of ovulation, a woman takes cervical mucus. At the same time, a man needs to pass seminal fluid. Biomaterials are mixed in vitro and the sperm motility in the mucus is monitored. Such a study shows the compatibility or incompatibility of biological fluids.
A cross-test of Kurzrok-Miller is also used. Often these two research methods are used simultaneously. First conduct a direct test. If the analysis showed the incompatibility of the husband’s sperm and the wife’s cervical mucus, then they begin a cross-test. This is a more informative diagnostic method, which allows you to accurately determine which of the partners have violations in the reproductive system.
In a cross-sectional test, men’s seminal fluid is mixed in a test tube with donated mucus. A woman’s cervical secret is combined in a laboratory glassware with sperm obtained from a donor. At the same time, the motility of male germ cells in the mucus is also investigated. Donor biomaterials should be obtained from men and women without reproductive health problems.
Indications
The Kurzrock-Miller test is prescribed for problems with conception in a couple. Marriage is considered infertile if fertilization does not occur within 1 year of regular sexual activity without the use of contraceptives. Before conducting the analysis, a man is recommended to take a spermogram. This eliminates the male factor of infertility.
A woman needs a smear for sexually transmitted infections before the test. Various inflammatory diseases can adversely affect the properties of cervical mucus.
Training
In order for the results of the Kurzrock-Miller test to be reliable, you need to carefully prepare for analysis. It is necessary to strictly adhere to the following recommendations:
- A woman before the study needs to calculate the date of the alleged ovulation. This can be done using special pharmacy tests, an ultrasound examination of the follicle, or by measuring the basal temperature. Mucus from the cervix is taken for analysis only on ovulation days.
- A few days before the test, you need to refrain from intimate contacts. Violation of this rule can lead to a decrease in the quality and quantity of sperm in the biomaterial of a man.
- Before analysis, you can not use intimate ointments, gels and suppositories. Such topical preparations may adversely affect the quality of research material.
Normal performance
If a positive result is indicated in the decoding of the direct sample, this means that sperm cells retain high mobility when in contact with the secretion of the glands of the cervix. This indicates a high probability of natural conception. However, a favorable prognosis is possible only if a comprehensive examination did not reveal any deviations in the functioning of the reproductive system in women.
There are cases when the spermogram and compatibility tests are within normal limits, but the couple still has problems conceiving. In this case, the female factor of infertility is most likely. The patient is required to undergo a comprehensive examination of the function of the hormonal system and the state of the reproductive organs.
Decryption
Deviations from the norm are the following results of a direct test:
- Weakly positive. This means that part of the sperm has lost its activity in contact with mucus. At the same time, another part of male germ cells retained its mobility. The couple has a chance to conceive a child in a natural way, but it is necessary to undergo a course of treatment.
- Negative result. The main part of spermatozoa loses the ability to move after contact with the secretion of the cervical glands. Conception in vivo is unlikely. The couple should undergo an additional examination and, if necessary, use methods of artificial insemination.
The reason for such deviations may be the poor quality of male sperm or excessive viscosity of cervical mucus. In women, thickening of the cervical secretion can be caused by the following pathologies:
- the production of antibodies to sperm;
- cervical erosion;
- hormonal disruptions.
If there are deviations in the results of a direct test, the pair must pass a cross-test. It can give the following results:
- The husband's sperm penetrate freely into the cervical secretion of the donor and remain motile. In this case, infertility is associated with violations in the body of the wife.
- Donor sperm easily penetrate and are capable of movement in the cervical mucus of a woman. This indicates a male factor in infertility.
In addition, the couple is recommended to undergo a comprehensive examination. Deviations in the sample may be associated with inflammatory diseases of the female genital area, as well as with prostatitis in men. Such pathologies are often asymptomatic.
Reproductive Techniques
What to do with a negative Kurzrock-Miller test? This test may give false results if patients have violated the rules for preparing for analysis. Therefore, with dubious data, the study must be repeated and all additional diagnostic procedures must be completed.
However, do not despair even if the second test yielded a negative result, and the cause of infertility is the biological incompatibility of the partners. Modern medicine has various assisted reproductive techniques. You can use the following methods of artificial insemination, which exclude contact of sperm and cervical secretion:
- Artificial insemination. The method consists in introducing the seminal fluid of a man directly into the uterine cavity of a woman.
- ECO. The process of fertilization occurs in vitro. A ready-made embryo is planted in the woman’s uterus.
- ICSI. This reproductive technology is one of the options for IVF. From the seminal fluid, men secrete the most mobile and active sperm. It is injected into the egg with a syringe. The conception process takes place in vitro, then the embryo is transferred to the uterus. This method is indicated for poor spermogram results: a small number and low mobility of male germ cells.
Where to do the analysis
Where to get a Kurzrock-Miller test in Moscow? This analysis is done in many clinics specializing in the treatment of infertility. Such a study is carried out in the following metropolitan medical institutions:
- Women's Medical Center (62 Zemlyanoy Val St., Building 1).
- Endocrinological Research Center (11 Dmitry Ulyanov St.).
- Clinic for Reproductive Medicine (2, Budayskaya St., Building 1).
- Clinic "Mother and Child" (Butyrskaya St., Building 46, Building 2).
- Family Planning Center "For Birth" (Kochnovsky proezd, house 4, building 1).
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine "Remedi" (Shmitovsky passage, 3, building 1.
- The treatment and rehabilitation center of the Ministry of Health of Russia (Ivankovskoye Shosse, building 3, building 6).
The cost of the test in the above clinics is from 1500 to 3000 rubles.
This study can also be done in diagnostic laboratories. Do Kurzrock-Miller test in Invitro? This question is often asked by patients. This medical company is not currently conducting this study. The sample can be taken in the network of laboratories "CIR". These medical facilities are located in Moscow and in Podolsk. The analysis is carried out both by direct and cross-sectional methods. The research price is about 2000 rubles.
Where to pass the Kurzrock-Miller test in other regions of Russia? Only large reproductive clinics are involved in such studies. They are usually located in regional centers and large cities.
Patient Reviews
You can find many reviews of the Kurzrock-Miller test. Patients report that this method helps to quickly identify the biological compatibility of the spouses. If you conduct this analysis at the very beginning of the examination for infertility, then this allows you to immediately confirm or refute the cervical factor. In many cases, this saves time and avoids unnecessary diagnostic tests.
The disadvantages of the analysis of a woman include some soreness of the procedure for collecting cervical mucus. However, patients describe the sensations during the taking of the biomaterial as quite tolerable. In this case, local anesthesia cannot be used, since painkillers can distort the results of the test.
Patients also emphasize that far from all reproductologists recognize the data from this test. At the slightest violation of the rules of preparation, this analysis can give unreliable results. Therefore, often the study has to be done more than once. Only on the basis of data from several samples can we draw conclusions about the state of reproductive health of women and men.