[The peritoneal sperm migration test (PSM-test) following fractional artificial insemination during laparoscopic...

The peritoneal sperm migration test following fractional artificial insemination during diagnostic laparoscopy was carried out in the context of fertility investigation in 78 women age 25 to age 40. 35 cases had a positive PSM test, 43 had a negative PSM test. The results were correlated to the phase of menstrual cycle, the semen analysis and the tubal patency test. The test showed the best results when it was done in the preovulatory phase in conjunction with a normal semen analysis and a normal tubal patency test. In 2 cases with severe oligospermia and in two cases with bilateral tubal occlusion the test was still positive. The test is of clinical importance and can be done without increased risk during any laparoscopy for infertility. Valuable conclusion about the migration of sperms through the uterus and the tubes in the individual couple can be obtained. This is of prognostic importance. The test shows in addition to mechanical tubal patency by chromopertubation the functional or physiologic tubal permeability. Negative PSM tests are relatively frequent and are caused by tubal, uterine or sperm factors.