Cervical mucus at midcycle is increased in amount, acellularity, water content, and fluidity. Furthermore, cervical mucus at this time is well supplied with carbohydrate and presumably amino acids. From a teleologic standpoint, we may conclude that because of these characteristics the sperm, on deposition in the vagina, find an environment propitious for their nutrition and migration through the cervical canal.
PMID 20277424 20277424 DOI 10.1016/0002-9378(46)90420-6 10.1016/0002-9378(46)90420-6 Pommerenke et al. 1946, Pommerenke 1946
Cite this article
Pommerenke, W. T. (1946). Cyclic changes in the physical and chemical properties of cervical mucus. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 52(6), 1023-1031. https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9378(46)90420-6
Pommerenke WT. Cyclic changes in the physical and chemical properties of cervical mucus. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1946;52(6):1023-1031. doi:10.1016/0002-9378(46)90420-6
Pommerenke, W. T. "Cyclic changes in the physical and chemical properties of cervical mucus." American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, vol. 52, no. 6, 1946, pp. 1023-1031.
Two main types of cervical mucus have been described during the menstrual cycle: oestrogenic and progestative. Each category shows diverse morphological and functional features from the reproductive point of view. Traditionally, this change has been approached by analysing morphological patterns. In fact, a mesh model has been described for cervical mucus, structurally composed of fibrillar subunits with a parallel orientation, together with another model in a characteristic network shape with canalicular units, but the real model is not clear. The objective of our work was to study the different morphological structures of the mucus, as related to the day of follicular rupture (considered as day 0) determined by ultrasound. Cervical mucus samples were obtained from the cervical canal with an ASPIRETTEtrade mark from day -4 to day +1 of the menstrual cycle. Samples were fixed and dried by critical point. The ultrastructure was examined with scanning electron microscopy. The presence of three types of oestrogenic and one type of progestative cervical mucus was confirmed in this period. Our paper shows different types of ultrastructure in the oestrogenic mucus in relation to ovulation, which would help to understand the interaction between male gametes and cervical mucus in migration through the female genital tract.
Cervical mucus is produced throughout the menstrual cycle. Sperm migration, however, is possible only during the periovulatory period of the cycle. Cervical mucus is also produced during the amenorrhoeic post-partum period. Post-partum mucus is very similar to luteal phase mucus except that it can allow sperm migration. In this study, mucus samples obtained from all these periods were classified according to their capacity to allow sperm migration. The biochemical characteristics of mucus samples that did (peri-ovulatory and 40% of post-partum samples) and did not (luteal and 60% of post-partum samples) allow sperm migration were then compared. Mucus samples with positive sperm migration showed the highest percentage of water and lowest protein and glycoprotein concentration (per ml of mucus). In addition, post-partum mucus samples with positive sperm migration showed lower concentrations of proteins and glycoproteins than post-partum mucus samples that did not allow sperm migration. However, the amount of glycoproteins per mg of protein was similar between post-partum samples that were positive and negative for sperm migration. These data suggest that the carbohydrate composition of the glycoproteins is playing a key role in the ability of cervical mucus to accept spermatozoa.
De Ponte A et al., 2026·The journal of sexual medicine
[INTRODUCTION] Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an innovative tool in regenerative medicine. It is defined as an autologous product obtained by density gradient centrifugation of blood, resulting in a platelet concentrate rich in growth factors. In gynecology, PRP has been used to treat vaginal atrophy, sexual dysfunction, and inflammatory conditions such as vulvar lichen sclerosus. PRP injection into the vulvo-vaginal area is a potential treatment for several conditions; however, treatment methods and applications vary widely across the published literature. [OBJECTIVE] To provide an updated synthesis of current evidence on the administration of PRP to the vulva and vagina as a stand-alone technique in a non-surgical outpatient setting, and to identify its main clinical indications. [METHODS] A systematic search of PubMed and Embase was conducted for studies published up to October 2024 using the terms "platelet rich plasma" AND "vaginal" and "platelet rich plasma" AND "vulvar." Eligible studies included human case reports, prospective, and retrospective cohort studies, as well as randomized and non-randomized controlled trials, assessing PRP injections as a stand-alone technique in the vulvo-vaginal area. Extracted data included study design, patient characteristics, indications, PRP preparation and administration protocols, number of sessions, outcomes, and adverse events. [RESULTS] Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria: two randomized controlled trials, 10 single-arm clinical trials, one retrospective cross-sectional study, and five case reports, comprising 480 patients (401 treated with PRP). The most frequent indication was vulvar lichen sclerosus (n = 179), followed by sexual dysfunction (n = 133) and vulvovaginal atrophy (n = 87). Protocols varied in preparation methods, injection techniques, and treatment schedules. Across studies, PRP injections were associated with improvements in symptoms, sexual function, and vaginal health, with few and mild adverse events. [CONCLUSION] Current evidence suggests that PRP injections in the vulvo-vaginal area may offer clinical benefits across several indications, with a favorable safety profile. However, the high variability in protocols, small sample sizes, and methodological limitations preclude definitive conclusions. Further high-quality randomized controlled trials are required to establish standardized protocols and confirm efficacy.
body-literacy/patient-education/health-literacymenstrual-cycle/cycle-physiology/ovulation
Open Access
Fertility rates in the UK are at an all-time low, with infertility affecting approximately 1 in 7 couples. Despite the rising demand for fertility services, fertility awareness, specifically knowledge of ovulation and the fertile window, remains low among women of reproductive age. Most existing studies offer a broad perspective, lacking focus on women actively trying to conceive (TTC). This study aims to assess the level of understanding surrounding the fertile window among women TTC, identifying factors associated with knowledge gaps. A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of 97,414 women actively TTC who answered an online health assessment was conducted. Participants provided information on menstrual cycle characteristics, previous pregnancies, and fertility knowledge, including the timing of the fertile window. Frequencies, percentages were calculated and chi-squared tests performed to assess differences in categorical data. Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) to better understand factors significantly associated with not knowing the fertile window. Out of the total respondents (97,414), over a third (33,756, 41%) could not accurately identify the fertile window, with substantial misconceptions observed across all age groups and ethnicities. Women with previous pregnancies were more likely to correctly identify the fertile window (OR = 1.45, 97.5% CI: 1.20-1.75, p < 0.001). However, knowledge was significantly lower among those with irregular cycles, non-White ethnicities, younger age groups and longer time TTC. Additionally, misconceptions about cycle regularity were apparent, of 60,322 women describing their cycles as regular 10% did not know their cycle length (66,95) and a further 2.9% fell outside of the clinically regular 21-35 day range. These misconceptions followed a similar trend with younger age groups, non-white ethnicities and longer time TTC having significantly increased rates of misidentifying regular cycles. This further increased the odds of not knowing their fertile window (OR = 2.99, 97.5% CI: 2.83-3.17, p < 0.001). The findings reveal gaps in fertility awareness among women actively TTC. Addressing these knowledge gaps through targeted educational interventions could potentially reduce time-to-pregnancy and the reliance on assisted reproductive technologies. Improved fertility education focusing on cycle tracking and ovulation timing is essential to assist women with accurate information during their TTC journey.