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Hostile Cervical Mucus

By Rachel Gurevich, About.com

Updated: April 29, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Definition: Term used to describe cervical mucus less than ideal for achieving pregnancy.

Hostile cervical mucus may refer to cervical mucus that is thick and sticky around the time of ovulation, instead of wet, raw egg-white like, and stretchy. It may also refer to cervical mucus that is too acidic for sperm survival.

Sometimes, hostile cervical mucus refers to the presence of anti-sperm antibodies. In this situation, the cervical mucus itself may not appear any different to the naked eye than a person without the problem. Anti-sperm antibodies are an immune response, where white blood cells attack the sperm. Anti-sperm antibodies may be produced by the woman's body, or may be present in the man's semen.

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