Fallopian tube blockage treatment and IVF

Blocked fallopian tubes are mainly a primary cause of infertility in women. These are mainly muscular tubes that are lined similarly to hair-like structures. These hairs are bi-directional and it helps the egg to traverse from the ovaries and then into the uterus. This would help sperms to travel across to the womb ceaselessly. Every one of these tubes would then end finger-like structures also known as fimbriae. These fimbriae would then escort the egg as soon as the ovary releases it. These fallopian tubes would play a very vital role at the place of inception because that is where many of these eggs are fertilized. If any of these tubes receive any damage through surgeries, and they can become blocked by these scar tissues. 

If one or more of these fallopian tubes are blocked, the egg would not be able to reach the uterus, and the sperm would not be able to reach the egg. This would mainly prevent the fertilization process and even pregnancy as well. On the contrary, it is even possible that this tube would not be blocked at all, and not in a partial way. There are multiple natural ways to unblock fallopian tubes today and you can consult doctors for the same accordingly.

Possible Treatments for blocked fallopian tubes

If you currently have an open tube and are feeling okay in terms of health, then getting pregnant would not be a problem for you. Doctors may also give you medicines concerning fertility so that the chances of ovulating would be considerably higher at the open tube. This could be not the correct option to choose if both these tubes are choked. Some of these fallopian tube blockage treatment options are as given below:

•    IVF for blocked fallopian tubes

Before the inception of IVF, if there were no options to recover from the repair surgeries then women with the condition of blocked fallopian tubes would have no options to get pregnant. IVF ensures that women need not face such conditions. IVF treatment would involve taking fertility drugs so that the stimulation of ovaries would be executed properly. Post this, the doctor would be using an ultrasound needle into the vaginal wall. They would then recover these eggs straight from the ovaries. The eggs would then be put together in the laboratory along with the sperms from the patient’s partner. Some of these eggs are then fertilized and this results in embryos. Some of these embryos are then chosen and then moved into the uterus.

IVF would completely circumvent these fallopian tubes so that these blockages would not matter much. Official research has identified that an inflamed tube would remarkably mitigate the odds of the success of IVF treatment. If you are having hydrosalpinx, your doctor would provide you with the consultation of surgery to remove the affected tubes. Once you have recovered from this, you can try requesting for the IVF.

•    Laparoscopic Surgery for blocked fallopian tubes

In a few of the cases, laparoscopic surgery would open up any blocked tubes or remove any excess scar tissues that would cause issues. But regrettably, the blocked tubes treatment option would not work. The probability of success would also depend on what your age is, and where exactly the blockage is occurring and the reason behind it.

If only a few adhesions are occurring between the ovaries and the tubes, then your pregnancy chances would be good enough. 
If you are facing any tubal blockage, then risks of an ectopic pregnancy would be at increased levels. Doctors need to monitor this condition very closely if the chances of pregnancy are higher and they would be able to give you a better consultation on this. It is important to understand that surgeries are not designed for every individual. If the tube is visibly thicker, when there are increased scarring and adhesions between the ovaries, then having surgery is a bad idea.

Plus, there are cases concerning male infertility as well, then you might want to trash the idea of surgery altogether. Some of the other reasons which would compel you to not choose the route of surgery would be some other supplementary fertility factors apart from fallopian tubes. In such cases, having IVF treatment would be a good choice. You can choose to have alternative medicine for blocked fallopian tubes as well. 

•    Tubal Ligation Reversal for blocked fallopian tubes

The tubal ligation surgery is essentially a permanent form of controlling birth. There are multiple types of tubal ligation procedures involved. Some of the possibilities would involve cutting the affected tubes, and accordingly clamping them or setting up specialized coils inside these tubes. The overall understanding is to completely block these fallopian tubes so that the sperms would not reach the egg.

There are close to 20 to 30% of women who often complain afterwards that their tubes are tied up. But the good news is that this technique would ensure that the birth control procedure would be permanent, and it can be reversed in the case of women. Surgically repairing the tubal ligation would be more successful than using tubal surgeries to repair these disease-related blockages. Other options like micro-surgical repair are considered to be lightly priced than the IVF technique, but it would cost a bomb for every delivery.

But essentially speaking, surgical tube removal might not always be a good alternative to choose from. Some situations would be better inclined towards choosing the IVF technique. Cases like large amounts of scarring, moderate to adverse effects of endometriosis and adverse effects of male infertility all point towards selecting the IVF option. You can consult your doctor with choosing the correct option as per your existing medical condition and what would be conducive for you. 

There are options available as of today concerning fallopian tube blockage treatment without surgery. We would be looking at length at some of these measures in the following section.

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Symptoms of Blocked Fallopian Tubes

There are multiple signs of blocked fallopian tubes along with the symptoms as well. As opposed to anovulation wherein intermittent menstrual cycles might be the cause of the real problem underneath, fallopian tube blockage would not show any visible symptoms. The very first symptom targeting fallopian tube blockage would involve infertility. If you are having trouble getting pregnant after trying continuously from 6 months to one year, and if you are 35 or older, then the doctor would opt-in for a specific X-Ray method that would be used to check on your fallopian tubes keenly. Apart from the tube testing, this would even involve testing out the fertility as well. This is one of the symptoms of blocked tubes we are seeing that can even help out to unblock fallopian tubes considerably. 

A particular variant of a blocked fallopian tube named hydrosalpinx would cause you increased lower abdomen pain and also irregular vaginal discharge as well, but not everyone would face such symptoms. Hydrosalpinx is mainly defined as the condition when the blockage would result in the tube getting dilated and then getting filled up with fluids. This fluid would then cause a hindrance in between the egg and the sperm, therefore, halting any significant progress of fertilization and even pregnancy. Hydrosalpinx is one of the drugs that can unblock the fallopian tube pretty well. 

Nevertheless, some of the other causes of blocked fallopian tubes can also result in a different set of issues altogether. For instance, the case of endometriosis and PID or Pelvic Inflammatory Disorder could result in the menstruation process becoming rather painful, and you cannot even have proper sexual intercourse as it would be painful. But all of these symptoms might not put fingers on the possibility of having the fallopian tube blockage.

Causes of Tubal Blockage

One of the most common causes of blocked fallopian tubes would be Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. This is mainly caused when a sexually transmitted bacteria spreads from the vagina and then directly into the uterus, fallopian tubes or the ovaries. Also, even if the disease is not present currently, continuous history of pelvic infection would also increase the risk of tube blocking. 
Some of the other prominent causes of bilateral tubal blockage would include as follows,

•    Endometriosis

This is a condition wherein the tissue that is present in proper alignment with the uterus starts growing outside the uterus. These tissues are found on the ovaries, fallopian tubes or the intestines. This condition would result in irregularities in the menstrual cycle and even tube blockage as well.

•    Chlamydia or Gonorrhoea

If the patient has any impending history of the sexually transmitted disease or any other infection about the same, specifically on chlamydia (a contagious STD which can cause genital pain) or gonorrhoea (a bacteria STD infection which can lead to infertility). Both these conditions can prove to be extremely hazardous and would result in tube blockage.

•    Uterine Infection

If the patient has any previous history of uterine infection which can be caused due to the mix of normal vaginal bacteria, due to an abortion or even miscarriage can also prove to be a propagator of the disease by a vast amount. It is therefore important to consult your doctor beforehand in these cases.

•    Appendix Rupture

It is also called appendicitis and it is a condition wherein the appendix can become inflamed or filled with pus resulting in unbearable pain. This infection can even spread across your abdomen, and there is a need to have immediate surgery in these cases and clean out your abdominal cavity. 

•    Ectopic Pregnancy

This is a condition wherein the fertilized eggs would be implanted outside the womb. The problem is that the eggs won’t be able to sustain without the womb, and if it’s left like that then it will cause serious damage to your internal organs resulting in grave complications. It can even cause vaginal bleeding and serious pelvic pain as well. 

The fallopian tube blockage is a serious condition among females and it should be treated with care. Also, it is important to understand the gravity of the condition with respect to the available options, so that you better understand it.