ENDOCERVICAL MUCUS PH IS INVERSELY RELATED TO SERUM ANDROGEN LEVELS AND WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO

Objective: To determine whether an inter-relationship exists between e ndocervical mucus pH, serum androgen levels, and waist to hip (W:H) ra tio. Setting: Donor insemination clinic, University of Sheffield, Jess op Hospital, Sheffield, United Kingdom. Patients: One hundred patients receiving donor insemination. Interventions: Waist, hip, height, and weight measurements were recorded for 100 patients receiving donor ins emination. At the onset of the LH surge when patients attended for the ir first insemination, a sample of endocervical mucus and blood was ta ken. The Insler score of the mucus was recorded and the pH was measure d with multirange pH paper. Of the 100 patients studied, 10 cases had an endocervical mucus pH < 6 despite Insler scores of >10. Serum T, DH EAS, and androstenedione levels were measured in the 10 patients with pH < 6 and in 26 patients selected at random from the 90 patients with pH greater than or equal to 6. Results: The W:H ratio was significant ly higher in the patients with pH < 6 than pH greater than or equal to 6. No significant difference was seen in body mass index between the latter groups. All serum androgen levels were significantly higher in the patients with pH < 6 than pH greater than or equal to 7. Conclusio n: A potential link (serum androgen levels) between a powerful predict ive factor of fertility (W:H ratio) and a potential mechanism of subfe rtility (low endocervical mucus pH) has been demonstrated. This observ ation warrants further detailed evaluation particularly as it has been shown that a low endocervical mucus pH may be corrected by simple ine xpensive treatment.