[Postcoital test--a useful aid for the family physician]

Gynaecologists still debate the usefulness of the postcoital test. However, in general practice the duration of infertility may be shorter than in infertility outpatient clinic patients. In a primary care subfertility population (mean duration of infertility 20.7 months) it was shown that an abnormal postcoital test is associated with triple reduction in live birth prognosis. The guideline 'Subfertility' of the Dutch College of General Practitioners recommends primary investigations by the general practitioners to start when spontaneous pregnancy has not occurred after one year. Postcoital testing by the general practitioner appears to be useful.