Blocked fallopian tubes: symptoms, Causes & Treatment
When the egg is not able to travel from the ovary to the uterus or the sperm is not able to reach the egg, this condition is known as a blocked fallopian tube. Today, 40% of cases of infertility in women are due to blocked fallopian tubes. It mostly happens due to endometriosis, PID, pelvic inflammatory disease, and STD sexually transmitted diseases.
After leaving the ovary, the egg passes through the fallopian tube and into the uterus. The sperm also need to travel through the fallopian tube to meet the egg. But when the fallopian tube, the only bridge between the sperm and the egg, is blocked, it leads to infertility. The major risk with blocked tubes is that this is a silent condition, which means even if you have blocked fallopian tubes, you may not experience any symptoms. In fact, over seventy percent of women with blocked tubes are unaware of their condition. The only way to accurately diagnose this condition is through laparoscopy or sonohysterography (HyCoSy).
Blocked Fallopian Tubes: Symptoms
While the symptoms of blocked fallopian tubes are often absent, here are some of the key indicators and red flags to look for:
Not Able to Conceive:
Because the fallopian tubes act as the main bridge between the sperm and the egg, when they are blocked, the two cannot meet, leading to infertility. So, if you have been experiencing trouble conceiving for a year or more, it may be a symptom of blocked fallopian tubes.
Chronic Abdominal Pain
You can experience constant pelvic pain normally or during periods.
Abnormal Periods
While blocked tubes don’t affect menstruation, you may still experience abnormal periods, such as heavy bleeding or spotting between periods.
Fever
If you also experience chills along with other symptoms, it may signal an infection caused by long-term blocked tubes.
Vaginal Discharge
Watery discharge, including pelvic discomfort, is another blocked fallopian tube.
Blocked fallopian tubes Causes
Blocked tubes can be caused due to several conditions, such as PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease), STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections), endometriosis, fibroids, medical conditions like tuberculosis, or even congenital defects.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
This usually happens due to an STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection). The infection damages the delicate fimbriae at the end of the tube, making egg pickup difficult.
Endometriosis
About 30% of tubal blockages occur due to endometriosis. Blockages result from the ovaries and fallopian tubes adhering to one another.
Abdominal Surgery
Surgeries in the pelvis or abdomen can lead to adhesions (scar tissue).
Infections
Infections that occur after miscarriages or abortions can also cause blocked fallopian tubes. This happens because bacteria from the vagina can travel through the uterus to the fallopian tubes and ovaries, leading to PID or other infections.
Hydrosalpinx
Hydrosalpinx is another major cause of blocked tubes, seen in more than 20% of women, and it also reduces the success rate of IVF by nearly half. In hydrosalpinx, the fallopian tubes are filled with fluid, leading to tubal blockage.
Blocked fallopian tube treatment
The treatment for blocked fallopian tubes is medications and surgery.
When the blockage is due to infections, the first line of treatment is controlling the infection with antibiotics. These medications reduce swelling and may help reopen a blocked tube. However, most of the time, surgery is done to remove the scar tissue around the tubes or to reconstruct the part of the tube that is blocked. In some cases, a small catheter is used to clear the blockage. These surgical treatments can increase the success rate of natural pregnancy by up to 40%.
The best diagnostic tests for blocked fallopian tubes are Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) and Laparoscopy, both of which are advanced procedures. In laparoscopy for blocked fallopian tubes, a direct view of the reproductive organs is obtained to identify where the blockage is, why it is happening, and how it can be treated. On the other hand, a hysterosalpingogram is a specialised X-ray procedure where a dye is passed through the cervix to check if it flows into the fallopian tubes, thereby revealing any blockages.
Conclusion
Blocked fallopian tubes are a leading silent cause of infertility in women. Being a silent condition, the blocked fallopian tubes symptoms may include chronic pain, irregular periods, fever, and difficulty conceiving. Blocked tubes can be caused by endometriosis, abdominal surgery, infections, hydrosalpinx, or STIs. They can be diagnosed through laparoscopy for blocked fallopian tubes and hysterosalpingogram. Once confirmed, blocked fallopian tubes can be treated with medications or surgery. Consult the best gynaecologist in Nagpur at Medigrace Hospital to get the condition accurately diagnosed and treated, and to increase your chances of natural conception.
FAQs
Symptoms like pelvic pain, unexplained fertility indicate towards blocked fallopian tube, but you can only know if you have a blocked fallopian tube through tests like laparoscopy and hysterosalpingogram (HSG) test.
You can unblock your fallopian tubes with the Tubal ligation procedure.
Yes! Even with blocked fallopian tubes, women can have periods. Because fallopian tubes are only responsible for carrying the egg from the ovaries to the uterus, they do not control the menstrual cycle.
