Blocked Fallopian Tubes
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Blocked Fallopian Tubes
Overview
Fallopian tubes are female reproductive organs that connect the ovaries to the uterus. Each month during ovulation, which occurs in the middle of the menstrual cycle, the fallopian tubes carry one egg from the ovary to the womb.
Now, the fertilization of a sperm and an egg takes place in the fallopian tubes. Soon, the fertilised egg travels to the uterus via the tube for implantation.
So, any blockage in the fallopian tube will restrict the sperm to reach the egg and fertilize it. This way, the conception won’t happen; and a woman will face difficulties. Common causes of blocked fallopian tubes include scar tissue, infection, and pelvic adhesion for obstructed fallopian tubes.
About Blocked Fallopian Tubes
Blocked Fallopian Tubes
Antenatal or Pregnancy care is the medical attention you need while pregnant. Your gynecologist & obstetrician (OBGYN) examines you and your unborn child at each antenatal appointment.
Pregnancy checkup services can be availed from the following kinds of doctors:
- Obstetrician/Gynecologist (OB/GYN)
An obstetrician/gynecologist is a medical professional with the education and experience necessary to care for pregnant patients and deliver infants. - Maternal-fetal medicine specialist (MFM)
He/She is an obstetrician who has received the education and training necessary to care for women who are carrying high-risk pregnancies. Your healthcare practitioner could recommend that you contact an MFM expert if you have any medical disorders that could create issues during pregnancy.
In contrast to anovulation, when irregular menstrual periods are likely to indicate a problem, obstructed fallopian tubes seldom produce symptoms. Infertility is frequently the first symptom of blocked fallopian tubes.
If you do not get pregnant after one year (or six months, if you are 35 or older), the doctor will conduct some tests. He might do a specialist x-ray, along with other basic reproductive tests, to examine your fallopian tubes.
A particular kind of clogged trombone tube called Hydrosalpinx may produce lower stomach discomfort and atypical vaginal discharge. However, not all women will have those symptoms.
Hydrosalpinx is used if a blockage causes the tube to enlarge and fill with fluid (increase in diameter). This fluid prevents pregnancy and inhibits the egg and sperm.
However, some causes of obstructed fallopian tubes may have symptoms of their own. Painful menstrual and sexual intercourse may lead, for example, to endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
Symptoms indicating pelvic infection include:
- General pelvic discomfort
- Uneasiness during sexual intercourse
- Foul-smelling of vaginal discharge
- Fever more than 101 (in acute cases)
- Nausea and vomiting (in acute cases)
- Severe lower abdominal or pelvic pain (in acute cases)
Acute pelvic infections are severe problems. Call your physician immediately or go to the closest emergency department if you get a high temperature or severe pain.
Ectopic pregnancy is the most frequent consequence of blocked fallopian tubes and therapy. If there is a partial blockage in a fallopian tube, an egg may be fertilized, but it may get trapped in it. It leads to an ectopic pregnancy, a medical emergency.
Moreover, a surgery that involves removing a portion of the fallopian tube increases the likelihood of an ectopic pregnancy. As a result of these concerns, physicians frequently suggest IVF for women with blocked fallopian tubes. It is the best treatment option for otherwise healthy women rather than surgery.
Blocked Fallopian tubes are a common reason for infertility. A sperm and an egg meet in a fallopian tube. This fertilisation won’t occur if there is any blockage in the tubes.
If both tubes are completely obstructed, a woman will not be able to get pregnant without therapy. If the blockage is partial, you might get pregnant. However, in this case, the egg won’t reach the uterus and might get stuck in the tube. So, there is an increased chance of an ectopic pregnancy. In such situations, your doctor may advise IVF based on whether treatment is feasible.
In conclusion, the obstruction will probably not impact fertility if just one fallopian tube is closed since an egg can still travel via the uninfluenced fallopian tube. Fertility medicines may help improve your likelihood of open-sided ovulation.
If blocked fallopian tubes have affected your fertility, the treatment options can improve pregnancy chances. The treatment depends on the location of your obstruction and whether we can remove it easily.
Some of the treatment options include:
- Surgery
Depending on the reason and degree of the obstruction, your doctor may eliminate the scar tissue, create a new hole outside the blocked tube near the ovary, or break up the blockage on the inside. He can remove certain blocks laparoscopically, while others may need conventional operations with a big incision. - In vitro fertilization
Surgery may not restore seriously damaged fallopian tubes adequately. In this instance, your doctor may suggest that you completely overcome the obstruction and attempt to get pregnant through in vitro fertilization (IVF). - Hysterosalpingogram (HSG)
HSGs usually identify, not cure, obstructed fallopian tubes. However, studies have revealed that many women with blockages, subjected to HSG testing end up thinking within three to six months after treatment. Experts do not completely understand why, but the color used to identify the stalemate helps cleanse the fallopian tubes.
If you have been diagnosed with blocked fallopian tubes and you wish to get pregnant, it’s important to consult a specialist. You can book an appointment with our doctors, who have expertise in helping many women get pregnant with the same issue.