Signs of a Blocked Fallopian Tube
Get insight into blocked fallopian tube, its causes and treatment. Read on the article, and share your valuable comments.
What are fallopian tubes?
Fallopian tubes are two thin tubes, one on each side of the uterus, that help take the mature egg from the ovaries to the uterus — where the egg is developed into a fetus.
How do blocked fallopian tubes cause infertility?
As you know that every month, when ovulation takes place, an egg is released from one of the ovaries. And the egg ends up in the uterus by way of the tubes.
Sperms also travel from the cervix through the tubes and uterus to fertilize the egg. And fertilization takes place while the eggs travel through the tube. And if one or both fallopian tubes are blocked, the egg can’t get into the uterus and sperm cannot reach the egg, thereby obstructing fertilization.
This is also known as tubal factor infertility. And it is the cause of infertility in 40 percent of infertile women.
If the tube is not blocked completely, a woman can have tubal pregnancy or ectopic pregnancy.
Common symptoms of blocked fallopian tubes
Blocked fallopian tubes rarely cause any symptoms. Hydrosalpinx, a specific kind of blocked fallopian tube may cause lower abdominal pain and unusual vaginal discharge. But not every woman would experience such symptoms.
Blocked fallopian tubes can lead to certain problems such as painful menstruation and painful sexual intercourse (these symptoms not always indicate of blocked tubes).
But if you experience such symptoms, approach a physician specialized in treating the blocked tubes.
What causes blocked fallopian tubes?
The common cause of blocked fallopian tubes includes Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) — a sexually transmitted disease. Not all pelvic infections are related to STDs. If you are cured of PID, a history of such medical condition increases the risk of blocked tubes.
Other causes of blocked fallopian tubes may include:
- STD infections such as Chlamydia or Gonorrhea (even history of such conditions could result in blocked tubes)
- Current or history uterine infection caused by an abortion or miscarriage
- A ruptured appendix
- An abdominal surgery
- Previous ectopic pregnancy
- Prior surgery of the fallopian tubes
- Endometriosis
What is fallopian tube recanalization (FTR)?
It’s a non-surgical procedure to remove blockage in the fallopian tubes. Recanalization is a medical term for “reopening.”
Procedure
The procedure does not require any incision or needles.
- A speculum is placed into the vagina and a small plastic tube (catheter) is passed through the cervix into the uterus.
- A liquid contrast agent is injected through the catheter.
- The uterine cavity is examined through a monitor using an X-ray camera to obtain a hystero-salpingogram (uterus-and-fallopian-tube-picture)
- A smaller catheter is threaded through the first catheter and then into the fallopian tube to remove the blockage.
Approach a physician specialized in Fallopian Tube Recanalization to clearly understand the procedure and its results.
