BMJ 1999;318:1007 ( 10 April )

Letters

Postcoital testing

    Criterion for positive test was not given
    Male partner should be assessed
    Postcoital test should be performed as routine infertility test
    Authors' reply

Criterion for positive test was not given

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR---In their report on postcoital testing Oei et al applied inappropriate trial methods to the use of a diagnostic rather than a therapeutic procedure.1 Their interpretation was consequently misleading and further invalidated by biased selectivity. A diagnostic procedure cannot alter outcome, except by influencing the choice of treatment specific to a diagnosis. Numerous treatments were applied non-specifically and inconsistently, invalidating study outcome. Intrauterine insemination was incorrectly described as specific for negative postcoital findings but is used equally, like in vitro fertilisation, in couples who tested positive, although success rates differ.

The only significant finding was that the sum frequency of more than five different treatments used was slightly greater in tested couples than in those not tested (54% versus 41%). Invasive investigations (hysterosalpingography, laparoscopy) were, however, apparently used less frequently in the tested group. Pregnancy rates were not significantly different between couples with negative and positive tests, but . . . [Full text of this article]
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

Effectiveness of the postcoital test: randomised controlled trial
S Guid Oei, Frans M Helmerhorst, Kitty W M Bloemenkamp, Frederieke A M Hollants, Debbie E M Meerpoel, and Marc J N C Keirse
BMJ 1998 317: 502-505. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Access jobs at BMJ Careers
Whats new online at Student BMJ