[Salivary LH as an ovulation indicator: on the value of autopalpation of the cervix uteri for the detection of fertile and infertile days of the cycle].

The validity of autopalpation of the cervix as an indicator of fertility has been studied in 115 cycles of 13 nulliparous and 13 parous women, aged 22 to 35 years and experienced in self-observation methods (SOM) of family planning. For this purpose, the reported cyclic changes of the cervix uteri (hard, closed and low positioned; soft, open and higher positioned or intermediate stages) have been compared with the salivary LH-peak as indicator of ovulation, the BBT-readings and cervical mucus quality. The study has confirmed that in principle it is possible to collect sufficiently reliable self observation data for family planning purposes by autopalpation of the cervix. Parous women detect the first preovulatory changes of the cervix earlier and more frequently than nulliparous. Nevertheless it is not possible for either group to determine the beginning of the fertile days in this way. The beginning of the postovulatory infertile phase, however, can be detected: if, in accordance with rising BBT, the cervix has returned to a hard and closed appearance for 4 days, this symptom signals infertility with the same high degree of accuracy as the third measurement of elevated BBT (BBT3). Thus a "rule of thumb" can be established, linking the beginning of postovulatory infertility to either the fourth day of the hard and closed cervix or to the evening of the day of BBT3, "whatever comes first". In this way, the beginning of the infertile phase could be recognized one to three days earlier by referring to the cervix in about 20% of the cycles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)