
What is the best treatment for blocked fallopian tubes?
In some cases, the best treatment for blocked Fallopian tubes involves bypassing the Fallopian tubes and moving straight to IVF. This procedure involves ovulation induction, egg retrieval, fertilization, embryo transfer and the use of progesterone for the two weeks following the transfer.
Can blocked fallopian tubes be treated without surgery?
If the fallopian tubes are blocked, fertilization can't happen. A new non-surgical method called “Fallopian tube catheterization” helps to open blocked tubes to improve a woman's chances of becoming pregnant. The procedure is done by a specially trained doctor called an interventional radiologist.
Is there any medicine to open blocked fallopian tubes?
Lodhra. A commonly-used Ayurvedic treatment, lodhra is sometimes recommended to boost fertility and unblock fallopian tubes.
Can doctors unblock fallopian tubes?
If your fallopian tubes are blocked by small amounts of scar tissue or adhesions, your doctor can use laparoscopic surgery to remove the blockage and open the tubes. If your fallopian tubes are blocked by large amounts of scar tissue or adhesions, treatment to remove the blockages may not be possible.
How to prevent fallopian tube damage?
Using condoms and getting regular STI testing (especially if you engage in high-risk sexual behavior) is recommended to prevent fallopian tube damage from STI.
Why do women have a blocked fallopian tube?
Treatment. Prevention. The fallopian tubes are two thin tubes, one on each side of the uterus, which help lead the mature egg from the ovaries to the uterus. When an obstruction prevents the egg from traveling down the tube, a woman has a blocked fallopian tube, also known as tubal factor infertility.
What is tubal ligation surgery?
Tubal ligation surgery is a permanent form of birth control, commonly known as "getting your tubes tied." There are different kinds of tubal ligation. Possibilities include a surgeon cutting the tubes, banding them, clamping them, or placing specialized coils inside them. The idea is to intentionally block the fallopian tubes so the sperm can’t reach the egg.
How do IVF eggs work?
One or two healthy embryos are chosen and transferred to the uterus. IVF completely avoids the fallopian tubes, so blockages don't matter.
What is the name of the tube that causes lower abdominal pain?
A specific kind of blocked fallopian tube called hydrosalpinx may cause lower abdominal pain and unusual vaginal discharge, but not every woman will have these symptoms. Hydrosalpinx is when a blockage causes the tube to dilate (increase in diameter) and fill with fluid.
What happens if you don't get dye in your ovaries?
Once the dye is in place, x-rays of the pelvic area are taken. If all is normal, the dye will go through the uterus and fallopian tubes and spill out around the ovaries and into the pelvic cavity. If the dye doesn't get through the tubes, then you may have a blocked fallopian tube.
Where does dye go in the ovaries?
If all is normal, the dye will go through the uterus and fallopian tubes and spill out around the ovaries and into the pelvic cavity. If the dye doesn't get through the tubes, then you may have a blocked fallopian tube.
What is the procedure to remove the fallopian tube?
Salpingectomy involves removing part of your fallopian tube. This procedure is done when a tube has a buildup of fluid called hydrosalpinx. This procedure is done before undergoing an attempt at in vitro fertilization (IVF). If the end of the fallopian tube is blocked due to hydrosalpinx, a salpingostomy is performed.
What causes blocked fallopian tubes?
Know the role of pelvic inflammatory disease in causing blocked fallopian tubes. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can result from sexually transmitted infections and lead to blockages. If you have PID (or a history of PID), you have an increased risk of developing blocked fallopian tubes and infertility.
How to get rid of a blockage in the uterus?
Try selective tubal cannulation. If you have a blockage that is close to your uterus, your doctor may recommend selective tubal cannulation – a medical procedure done by inserting a cannula through the cervix, uterus, and fallopian tube. The cannula is used to open the blocked portion of the fallopian tube.
What is a salpingectomy?
Discuss the possibility of a salpingectomy with your doctor. Salpingectomy involves removing part of your fallopian tube. [18]
What is a cannula used for?
The cannula is used to open the blocked portion of the fallopian tube. This is an outpatient procedure and less invasive than laparoscopic surgery. It is done by hysteroscopy, in which your doctor inserts a thin tube with a camera, which allows your doctor to see inside your uterus.
How do fallopian tubes carry eggs?
This article has been viewed 212,837 times. In healthy women, the fallopian tubes carry mature eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. In order for a woman to become pregnant, at least one of these tubes must remain open.
What is the procedure called when you remove the tube from your navel?
Ask your doctor if a laparoscopy is appropriate. Depending on the results of your sonohysterogram and hysterosalpingogram, your doctor may recommend a laparoscopy — a medical procedure in which an incision in made near your navel to find (and, in certain cases, remove) any tissue that is blocking the tubes.
What is the best medicine for fallopian tube blockage?
Dong quai. A plant frequently used in Chinese herbal medicine, dong quai is often recommended for fallopian tube blockages. It’s one of the most commonly used Chinese herbs for treating reproductive issues. According to a 2015 meta-analysis, Chinese herbal medicine could double the pregnancy rates in female infertility.
What is the best way to diagnose a blocked fallopian tube?
Your doctor might use a hysterosalpingography (HSG), which is a type of X-ray used to diagnose blocked fallopian tubes. Your doctor will add dye to your uterus and fallopian tubes, which will help blockages show up on the X-ray.
How to unblock fallopian tubes?
Some alternative medicine practitioners suggest fertility massages to unblock fallopian tubes. These usually involve warm oil massages on the abdominal area. There’s no scientific evidence that this works.
What is the best herb for boosting fertility?
Mugwort is an herb sometimes recommended for boosting fertility. It’s also recommended for unblocking fallopian tubes.
What causes scarring in the pelvic area?
pelvic inflammatory disease, a disease that can cause scarring. fibroids, which are growths that can block the fallopian tube. scars, which can be caused by ectopic pregnancies or abdominal surgery. some sexually transmitted infections, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea.
What is the best treatment for menstrual cramps?
8. Vaginal steaming . An alternative treatment that’s recently risen in popularity, vaginal steaming supposedly treats multiple conditions, from menstrual cramps to infertility. It’s also recommended by some as a treatment for unblocking fallopian tubes. Unfortunately, there’s no evidence behind these claims.
Does Dong Quai unblock fallopian tubes?
However, no studies have specifically looked at whether dong quai could unblock fallopian tubes.
Why do fallopian tubes block?
Fallopian tubes can become blocked for a range of reasons, which include: a history of pelvic infection. a previous burst appendix. having had a sexually transmitted disease, such as gonorrhea or chlamydia. endometriosis, a condition that causes the lining of the womb to grow outside of the uterus.
What is the term for a blocked fallopian tube?
The medical term for a blocked fallopian tube is tubal occlusion. The fallopian tubes are muscular tubes that are lined with delicate hair-like structures. These “hairs” work in both directions; helping an egg to travel from the ovaries down to the womb (uterus) and helping sperm travel up from the womb. Each fallopian tube ends in fimbriae, which ...
What is the role of fallopian tubes in fertility?
Fallopian tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus and play an important role in fertility.
What is the name of the test that shows the fallopian tubes?
An ultrasound test, known as a sonohysterogram. This is very similar to the HSG test but uses sound waves to build up a picture of the fallopian tubes. Keyhole surgery, known as a laparoscopy. A surgeon makes a small cut in the body and inserts a tiny camera to take pictures of the fallopian tubes from inside.
How to tell if a fallopian tube is blocked?
There are three key tests to diagnose blocked fallopian tubes: An X-ray test, known as a hysterosalpingogram or HSG. A doctor injects a harmless dye into the womb, which should flow into the fallopian tubes.
What causes the lining of the womb to grow outside of the uterus?
endometriosis, a condition that causes the lining of the womb to grow outside of the uterus. hydrosalpinx, which is swelling and fluid at the end of a fallopian tube. All of these conditions can affect the fallopian tubes directly or this area of the body.
How do ovaries store eggs?
Each of the two ovaries is connected to the uterus by a fallopian tube. The ovaries store eggs and release them randomly, with one ovary releasing an egg each month. For example, the right ovary might release an egg for 3 months in a row, and then the left ovary might release an egg the following month.
What is the treatment for a woman with a damaged fallopian tube?
In these cases, a doctor may recommend in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to increase the chances of pregnancy. In some cases, damaged fallopian tubes may fill with a fluid called hydrosalpinx.
What is the function of the fallopian tubes?
Their function is to allow a fertilized egg to pass from the ovaries to the uterus for implantation. A blockage in the fallopian tubes prevents sperm from reaching the egg. It can also prevent a fertilized egg from making its way to the uterus.
What is the effect of cotinine on the fallopian tube?
Cotinine reduces production of a gene within the fallopian tubes, called BAD. A reduction in the BAD gene changes the environment of the fallopian tube, making it similar to that of the uterus. This can cause the embryo to start developing in the fallopian tube instead of traveling to the uterus.
How many participants in the fallopian tube study were successful?
The treatment was successful in opening one or both fallopian tubes in 17 of the 28 participants. Nine of the 17 participants went on to have a natural pregnancy from the uterus.
What causes infertility in women?
Blocked fallopian tubes are a common cause of infertility in women. They can affect fertility in two ways: by preventing sperm from reaching an egg, and by preventing a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus.
Why do women get blocked infertility?
The fallopian tubes may become blocked due to damage, inflammation, or scarring. This can happen as a result of: previous infections, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. fibroids.
What to do if a woman does not experience any benefit from trying natural treatments?
If a woman does not experience any benefit from trying natural treatments, they should see their doctor. The doctor can recommend medical treatments to unblock or remove the fallopian tubes or otherwise increase the likelihood of pregnancy.
Why are my fallopian tubes blocked?
What causes blocked fallopian tubes? Fallopian tubes can get blocked when a growth or scar forms within a tube or between the end of a tube and an ovary. These blockages can result from a few different health issues, including: Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
How to open a blocked ovary tube?
Depending on the cause and severity of the blockage, your provider may remove the scar tissue that’s causing the block, make a new opening outside of the blocked tube that’s near the ovary or open the tube from the inside by breaking up the blockage. Some blockages can be removed laparoscopically, while others require traditional surgery with a larger incision.
What percentage of ectopic pregnancy occurs in women with inflamed fallopian tubes?
Scarred, inflamed or partially blocked fallopian tubes increase the risk of an ectopic pregnancy. In fact, up to 50 percent of ectopic pregnancies occur in women who have affected tubes.
How to test for blockage in uterus?
This short test, which can be done in your provider’s office, involves injecting a liquid dye into the uterus and taking X-rays to see how the liquid moves through the fallopian tubes. If the liquid backs up or causes the tubes to stretch or swell, there’s a blockage.
What percentage of women infertility is caused by a blocked fallopian tube?
What are the symptoms of blocked fallopian tubes? Many women don’t realize they have a fallopian tube blockage until they run into trouble getting pregnant, but fallopian tube problems actually account for up to 30 percent of female infertility.
Can you have a period with a fallopian tube blockage?
Fallopian tube blockages often go completely unnoticed. You can still have a period with a blockage, and the blockages may not always feel painful.
Can a laparoscopic surgeon see a blockage?
In some cases, your provider might opt to look at a blockage via laparoscopic surgery. You may also sometimes see larger blockages on an ultrasound.

Symptoms
Causes
- The most common cause of blocked fallopian tubes is PID.7 Pelvic inflammatory disease is the result of a sexually transmitted disease, although not all pelvic infections are related to STDs. Also, even if PID is no longer present, a history of PID or pelvic infection increases the risk of blocked tubes. Other potential causes of blocked fallopian tubes include:1 1. Current or histor…
Diagnosis
- Blocked tubes are usually diagnosed with a specialized x-ray called a hysterosalpingogram, or HSG. An HSGis one of the basic fertility tests ordered for every couple struggling to conceive. The test involves placing a dye through the cervix using a tiny tube. Once the dye is in place, x-rays of the pelvic area are taken. If all is normal, the dye will go through the uterus and fallopian tubes a…
Treatment For Blocked Fallopian Tubes
- If you have one open tube and are otherwise healthy, you might be able to get pregnant without too much help. Your doctor may give you fertility drugs to increase the chances of ovulatingon the side with the open tube. This is not an option, however, if both tubes are blocked.
Prevention
- The majority of blocked fallopian tubes are caused by pelvic infections. Most—but not all—of these infections are caused by a sexually transmitted infection.1 Regular screening for STIs, as well as getting worrisome symptoms checked out right away, is an important step in preventing tubal infertility. If the STI or pelvic infection is caught early enough, treating it may help prevent t…
A Word from Verywell
- When just one fallopian tube is blocked, getting pregnant on your own or with low-tech treatments may be a possibility. However, when both tubes are blocked, surgery or IVF treatment may be necessary. Talk to your doctor about all your options. If IVF or surgery isn't possible for you, you may consider adoption, foster care, or choosing to live a child-free life. Make sure you have emo…