Therapy for Blocked Fallopian Tubes
- You will probably not be aware of a blocked fallopian tube as there are few, if any, discernible symptoms and testing for blocked fallopian tubes is not routinely done. However, if you are in your prime child-bearing years (18 to 35 years old) and have been trying to conceive for at least one year without success you should consult with your physician regarding infertility testing. If you are over 35 reduce the trying time to six months. If you have painful menstrual periods or a history of miscarriage, endometriosis or PID you should contact your doctor to discuss testing for the possibility of blocked fallopian tubes.
- Because there is no effective drug treatment for blocked fallopian tubes you may consider tubal surgery as an option. This is considered major surgery that is performed under a general anesthesia. As with all major surgeries there are risks associated with tubal surgery that should be fully discussed with your physician before proceeding. The surgery, which involves the use of an operation microscope, frequently requires several hours to complete. The success rate of tubal surgery ranges from approximately 20 to 45 percent, depending on the location of the blockage. Post-surgical complications include an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy.
- The primary consequence of blocked fallopian tubes is infertility. In the event that tubal surgery is inadvisable or undesirable, you may wish to consider a procedure called in vitro fertilization to help you conceive. This technique involves harvesting mature eggs from your ovaries, fertilizing the eggs in a laboratory dish, then implanting the embryos back into your uterus soon after fertilization. This procedure is highly successful, but does carry an increased risk of twins or multiples.
