Fallopian tubes obstruction or damage account for 7% of infertility causes.
Infertility causes- obstruction and damage to fallopian tubes
Fallopian tube abnormalities (the fallopian tube factor) that lead to difficulties in getting pregnant occur in 13% of all female patients suffering from infertility. Unilateral or bilateral obstruction of the fallopian tubes is diagnosed in 3% of all women who visited the clinic.
In the remaining group of women the fallopian tubes are damaged due to ineffective repair and microsurgery procedures as well as fallopian tubes surgeries due to ectopic pregnancies. The test used for detecting obstruction of the fallopian tubes is the Sono HSG examination.
Fallopian tube obstruction treatment
According to the currently binding Infertility Treatment Act, the obstruction of the fallopian tubes is an indication for laparoscopy. This is a surgical procedure reimbursed by the National Health Fund, performed under general anaesthesia in a hospital. Laparoscopic treatment of the obstructed fallopian tubes is less invasive than a traditional operation requiring a full abdominal incision, as it requires only small incisions through which the surgeon introduces the camera and surgical instruments. The scope of surgical treatment is the same. Laparoscopy allows for a direct and very precise assessment of the condition of fallopian tubes and other organs in the small pelvis, i.e. the ovaries and the uterus.
Laparoscopic treatment has the desired effect of restoring the function and the patency of one or two fallopian tubes in approx. 4 - 15% of patients. The effectiveness of treatment depends on the cause of obstruction. If the laparoscopy results in the restoration of patency of the fallopian tubes, in the following months (six to twelve months) the couple can try to conceive using natural methods or with relatively little medical support (hormonal stimulation, menstrual cycle monitoring). However, if the patency of the fallopian tubes cannot be restored or if they are completely damaged, the couple may benefit from the in vitro procedure.
What is the in vitro effectiveness in infertility with the fallopian tube factor?
In vitro fertilization in the treatment of infertility caused by the fallopian tube factor gives better results in women under 35 years of age, in the case of whom pregnancy can be achieved in one cycle in 44% of patients under 29 years of age. In women aged 44, the percentage of pregnancy is 5%.
Each subsequent cycle is associated with a decrease in chances for pregnancy: in patients up to 35 years of age by 1-2%, while in the age group over 35 years of age by 3-4%. The cumulative percentage of clinical pregnancies is 74% in younger patients, while in older patients it falls down to 10%.