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Hysterosalpingography: what it is and how to prepare

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

Hysterosalpingography is a radiological procedure that seeks to evaluate the function of the uterine cavity and the fallopian tubes. It is mainly indicated for women with fertility problems, but it also has other uses such as checking the effectiveness of tubal ligation or evaluating the uterine anatomy of women with multiple miscarriages .

You should tell your doctor if you have any suspicions of pregnancy, allergies, pelvic infections, or untreated sexually transmitted diseases. To perform hysterosalpingography, an X-ray technique called Fluoroscopy is used, through which images are obtained in real time of what is happening inside the body. To make this possible, the patient receives a small dose of ionizing radiation that does not have a harmful effect on your body. A liquid called contrast medium is used to obtain clearer results about the anatomy and function of the uterus. If you want to know everything about this procedure, the precautions and recommendations, at FastlyHealwe bring you this article about hysterosalpingography: what it is and how to prepare .

What is hysterosalpingography used for?

Hysterosapingography is a procedure used for multiple purposes:

  • Women with fertility problems : The size of the uterus and the opening of the tubes can be observed.
  • Women with spontaneous abortions : The presence of congenital or acquired problems in the uterus that affect its normal functioning can be determined, such as tumor masses, uterine fibers and adhesions.
  • Evaluate the degree of opening of the uterine tubes, which evaluates the consequences of infection or scarring, or evaluate the success after tubal ligation surgery .

When to perform hysterosalpingography

Hysterosalpingography has to be performed between 5 and 10 days after the first day of bleeding , during this phase it is easier to access the uterus, it is guaranteed that there is no pregnancy and the risk of infections is reduced. You have to notify your doctor if:

  • You have an active inflammatory condition, a pelvic infection, or a sexually transmitted disease.
  • You have a suspicion of pregnancy, this procedure is dangerous for the fetus.
  • Allergic conditions towards any medicine, food or material, or if you suffer from asthma.
  • You have blood clotting problems (bleeding).
  • You have kidney problems or diabetes .

When starting the hysterosalpingography, you may be given a sedative to reduce the pain that the procedure can cause. Also, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to lower your risk of infection.

What is hysterosalpingography?

Hysterosalpingography consists of the following points :

  1. You have to wear a hospital gown, lie on your back, bend your knees, and extend your feet, in the same way as in pelvic exams.
  2. They will put a speculum in your vagina , you may feel some discomfort.
  3. Afterwards, they may clean the area and you may feel a small sting.
  4. Then they will insert the cannula (similar to a tube) and they will remove the speculum, they will place a liquid called contrast medium that will go to your uterus and tubes.
  5. They will start using X-rays to take images, they may make you change positions to capture better images, you may feel discomfort or pain when moving.
  6. When all the images have been taken, the cannula will be removed and you will be given the necessary drugs.

After hysterosalpingography

In the days following the procedure, it is quite common that you notice some discomfort and that you experience slight vaginal bleeding or discharge. For this it is better that you use towels than tampons since with the latter it is easier to get infections. You may also feel dizzy or nauseous, all of which are symptoms of normal complications and for which you don’t need to visit a doctor. You have to consult your doctor if you have:

  • Fever.
  • Severe pain or cramps
  • Threw up.
  • Fainting.
  • Smelly vaginal secretions.
  • Heavy vaginal bleeding

Risks of hysterosalpingography

Some complications of this procedure are:

  • Allergic reaction to contrast medium.
  • Infection in the uterus or fallopian tubes.
  • Injury to the uterus, such as perforations.

Hysterosalpingography results

The normal result in a hysterosalpingogram is one that shows a conventional anatomy of the uterus and tubes , without any abnormalities or anything out of the ordinary. Among the unusual things that may appear in the results of this we find:

  • Injuries or abnormalities in the uterus or tubes.
  • Plugs in the uterus or in the tube that prevent the meeting (and fertilization) of the egg with the sperm, can even show problems in the uterus that hinder the implantation process of the fertilized egg.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Hysterosalpingography: what it is and how to prepare , we recommend that you enter our category of Medication and medical tests .

Tips
  • Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Do not wear any jewelry on the day of the procedure.
  • Do not have sex between the last day of bleeding and the day of the procedure.
  • Inform your doctor about all the conditions that you think are important.
  • It is a safe procedure, you must be calm and trust the medical team.
  • Ask all the questions you have, do not stay with any doubts.

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