THE FERTILITY TESTOR

In previous issues of The Journal it has been demonstrated that the fertile period of the menstrual cycle can be concurrently identified by detecting a rise in the glucose content of the cervical mucous cascade utilizing Tes-Tape (paper impregnated with the enzyme, glucose oxidase) on either a swab¹ or a tampon.²Gluconic acid, the endproduct, is converted to hydrogen peroxidase which, in the presence of traces of orthotolidine, produces a blue color that can be seen as shades of green when viewed on a yellow strip. The glucose present in the cervical mucus may be partly from aspirated liquor folliculi, but most of it is from glycolysis within the cervix itself.² A recent positive test from the cervix and cul-de-sac fluid of a patient who had previously undergone supracervical hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy without oophorectomy demands such a conclusion.

Both techniques required further improvement to minimize the