If you are a woman trying to have a baby, you know that many body parts need to work exactly right. Your ovaries need to develop an egg every month, which is called ovulation, your womb needs to be in decent shape, and fallopian tubes need to be open.
You may have difficulty getting pregnant if these essential parts are not working correctly.
If your fallopian tubes are blocked, sperm cannot reach your egg, or the fertilized egg cannot enter your womb. Blocked fallopian tubes can occur for several reasons, but regardless of the cause, your doctor will diagnose them with an examination called a hysterosalpingogram.
What Is a Hysterosalpingogram?
A hysterosalpingogram (HSG) is a method that uses an X-ray to examine fallopian tubes and the uterus. Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is an X-ray method used to determine the internal view of the uterus and fallopian tubes. It is often used to see if the fallopian tubes are partially or wholly blocked. It can also show whether the inside of the uterus is of standard size and shape.
Your doctor will do the scan after your period but before you ovulate, as you are less likely to get pregnant at this time. This will be in the first half of the cycle, between days 1 and 14.
How to Prepare for HSG?
Your gynecologist may tell you to take an over-the-counter painkiller one hour before HSG. He may also recommend that you take antibiotics. The doctor will discuss recommendations with you beforehand.
Procedure:
An X-ray contrast medium (dye) is introduced into the uterine cavity, passing through the vagina and cervix.
The uterine cavity fills with the dye, and if the fallopian tubes are open, the dye fills with the fallopian tubes and seeps into the abdominal cavity.
In this way, it can be determined if the fallopian tubes are open or blocked and whether there is a blockage at the connection between the fallopian tubes and the uterus (proximal) or the other end of the fallopian tube (distal).
The test is done in the following way:
The woman lies on her back on the table and puts her feet in a “frog leg” position.
The doctor directs a speculum into the vagina and makes the cervix visible.
A soft, thin catheter is inserted through the cervix to the uterine cavity, called a tenaculum, and placed on the cervix. Then a narrow metal cannula is inserted through the opening of the cervix.
The contrast medium is slowly injected through the catheter into the uterine cavity. As the uterine cavity fills up, an X-ray image is taken. Further contrast medium is injected, so the fallopian tubes fill and leak into the abdominal cavity. When both fallopian tubes are filled with contrast, the woman is often asked to roll slightly onto her side to get a slanted X-ray that shows the anatomy better.
Does a dye test improve the chance of getting pregnant?
Several studies have reported that pregnancy rates slightly increased in the first few months after a hysterosalpingogram. This could be because flushing the fallopian tubes opens a small blockage or clears debris that has prevented the couple from conceiving.
Does a hysterosalpingogram improve fertility?
It is controversial whether this procedure increases oasis fertility center in Bangalore. Some studies show a minute increase in fertility that lasts about three months after a normal HSG. However, most doctors only perform HSG for diagnostic purposes.
Complications:
Complications with a hysterosalpingogram include the possibility of an allergic reaction, but this is rare. It usually causes a rash but rarely can have more severe consequences. Pelvic infection or uterine perforation are also predicted complications, but they are scarce.
If a woman has multiple sexual partners or is otherwise at risk for STDs, she may be tested with cervical cultures before HSG. Some doctors prescribe antibiotics for many days to reduce the risk of infection after HSG.
Conclusion:
If your fallopian tubes are blocked, your doctor will recommend either surgery to view the tubes directly (laparoscopy) or bypassing the tubes and performing in vitro fertilization (IVF). This is a complex decision that you should discuss with your doctor. The IVF cost in Bengaluru (Bangalore) is exceptionally reliable, and it is easy to find an IVF centre near you. Oasis Fertility Center in Bangalore has the best-advanced equipment that helps you with the problems in fertility and reproductive issues.
