The fallopian tube is the canal to a woman’s eggs and up to 30 percent of infertility is caused by a blockage of one or both tubes. Fertilization occurs when the egg is released from the ovary into the uterus. However, if one or both fallopian tubes are blocked then the egg cannot fertilize causing tubal factor infertility.
So, What Are the Symptoms?
Well, blocked fallopian tubes rarely cause symptoms except for one that stands out, infertility. If you have been trying to get pregnant for over a year and have had no luck then it is time to see your doctor. They will complete a fertility test along with a specialized x-ray to check your fallopian tubes. Hydrosalpinx is a specific type of blocked fallopian tube where a blockage causes the tube to increase in diameter and fill with liquid. This can cause lower abominable pain and unusual vaginal discharge, however, not many women have symptoms. Other possible symptoms include painful menstruation and sexual intercourse due to endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease which can lead to blocked fallopian tubes.
How Do I Treat This?
Treatment is dependent on the severity of the case. If only one tube is blocked then there is a possibility of getting pregnant without treatment. Your doctor may provide you with fertility drugs to increase ovulation of the dominant tube. As for both tubes being blocked, the best treatment would be a laparoscopic surgery that opens the blocked tubes or removes the scar tissue that is causing problems. There is a 20 to 40 percent chance of getting pregnant after surgery. The chances greatly depend on how old you are, the cause, and the severity of the blockage.
Another treatment option is NCCRM IVF. IVF is only an option if surgery was not an option or did not work. NCCRM IVF is the use of fertility drugs to stimulate the ovaries. The doctor then retrieves the eggs directly from the ovaries to put the eggs and sperm together in a lab. When the eggs fertilize, it becomes an embryo and is then transferred to the uterus. NCCRM IVF avoids the fallopian tubes entirely, however, inflamed tubes can significantly decrease the NCCRM IVF success. In regards to a hydrosalpinx, your doctor could recommend removing the tube and then trying NCCRM IVF after recovery.
NCCRM
The North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine/Talbert Fertility Institute is the premiere center for reproductive health in North Carolina and the East Coast. Our team specializes in fertility testing, diagnosis, and treatment of infertility conditions. We’re experts in IVF, Tubal Ligation Reversal, Male Infertility, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), Gestation Surrogacy, Family Balancing, and more. Contact us today.
