Unfortunately, more and more women are now facing difficulties in conceiving a child. This can be facilitated by various pathologies, including those contributing to the development of tubal infertility.
What it is?
Female infertility is a pathology in which, despite all attempts to conceive a baby, a woman does not succeed. Doctors identify several clinical options for infertility. One of them is the so-called tubal infertility. In their practice, doctors use a more accurate medical term that denotes this condition. This pathology is also called tuboperitoneal infertility. The tubal factor plays a huge role in its development, which determines the origin of this pathological condition.
It should be noted that in the general structure of the incidence of female infertility, tubal-peritoneal is quite common. So, according to statistical data, this pathology accounts for 30-40% of all cases of registered infertility in women. Such a high prevalence determines the significance of this pathology. Much scientific research is carried out every year to help doctors better diagnose and treat the condition in women with it.
Development reasons
In the development of tubal peritoneal infertility, doctors identify several factors that contribute to the onset of this pathology. They divide them by origin.
Influence of the pipe factor
Speaking about this reason for the development of infertility, doctors mean that a woman has certain pathologies that are associated with the fallopian tubes. Normally, the fallopian tube connects the ovary with the uterus, directly participating in the process of conception. In order for a mature egg to merge with a sperm, it must enter the fallopian tube. And also it is through the fallopian tube that the fertilized egg moves into the uterine cavity, where its implantation (tight attachment) to the uterine wall will take place in the future. In this way, anatomical or functional defects of the fallopian tubes are predisposing factors for the development of tubal infertility.
Many women think that only pathologies in which the patency of the fallopian tubes is impaired lead to the development of tubal infertility. There is only a grain of truth in this. Indeed, such pathologies can cause tubal infertility, but they are not the only ones. And also chronic inflammatory diseases of the fallopian tubes, which are accompanied by persistent and prolonged inflammation in the uterine appendage, can also lead to the development of tubal infertility.
It should be noted that with inflammation, the full physiological functioning of the organ is disrupted. This contributes to the fact that the fallopian tube begins to peristalize less. In such a situation, the movement of a mature egg for conception occurs rather slowly.
Spermatozoa, being in an unfavorable environment for them, retain their viability only for several days. If the egg moves too slowly through the fallopian tube, then the possibility of natural fertilization is practically zero. As a result, this contributes to the fact that a woman who suffers from a chronic inflammatory disease of the fallopian tube (salpingitis) may face the problem of tubal infertility.
A variety of infections, including those that are sexually transmitted, can lead to the development of infertility of the fallopian tubes, caused by the adhesive process. Such diseases include, for example, chlamydia or gonorrhea.
The reasons that contribute to the development of secondary pathologies leading to infertility are also performed intrauterine gynecological interventions. These include the following:
- curettage carried out for a variety of reasons, both for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes;
- abortions using medical instruments;
- hydrotubation of the fallopian tubes.
Endometriosis can also lead to the development of tubal infertility. This dangerous pathology, unfortunately, has become more common in gynecological practice. With endometriosis, the full functioning of the fallopian tubes is disrupted, which also helps to reduce the likelihood of spontaneous conception of the baby.
Influence of the peritoneal factor
The adhesion process, as a result of which various adhesions (outgrowths) appear, can develop in the female body almost anywhere. The pelvic cavity is no exception. The presence of an adhesive process in the small pelvis and abdominal cavity in a woman can be considered a peritoneal factor of tubal-peritoneal infertility. It should be noted that adhesions can form in different places. So, they can be localized in the bladder, behind the uterus, in the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Adhesions, like "cords", begin to stretch the organ in different directions. This leads to the fact that the organ affected by the adhesive process simply cannot fully function.
The presence of adhesions inside the fallopian tube is a separate pathology. In this case, mature eggs, which are produced by healthy ovaries, also have practically no chance of meeting sperm. The adhesions in the fallopian tube are a mechanical obstacle to the movement of the egg. In this case, the likelihood of natural conception is also significantly reduced.
The development of adhesions in the small pelvis in women can be due to various reasons. Among them are the consequences of the performed gynecological and surgical operations.
The presence of previous operations in the anamnesis should be a warning sign for the doctor. In such a situation, extended diagnostics are required, including those aimed at identifying the adhesions in the small pelvis.
How does it manifest?
The danger of tubal infertility largely lies in the fact that a woman for a long time may not even suspect that she has a big problem with the natural conception of a baby. Even in the presence of chronic diseases of the fallopian tubes, tubal infertility does not always develop. As a rule, the first time to think about the possible presence of tubal-peritoneal infertility is forced by the unsuccessful attempts of a couple to conceive a baby.
In the overwhelming majority of cases, women of reproductive age come to see a fertility specialist or gynecologist, who, despite repeated attempts to conceive a baby, cannot do this. To determine the pathology that caused this condition, doctors resort to prescribing a number of diagnostic procedures, including for a number of indications, including examining the patency of the fallopian tubes. After conducting such a diagnosis, doctors can understand the exact cause that influenced the development of tubal-peritoneal infertility in each specific situation.
Treatment
Therapy for tubal infertility is always complex and rather complicated. Before starting treatment, a woman should have courage and patience. Sometimes it happens that it takes a lot of time, effort and even financial costs to achieve a positive result. If doctors determine that the cause that led to tubal-peritoneal infertility can be dealt with with the help of complex therapy, then they will definitely talk about this to the patient. A positive attitude towards treatment is one of the essential ingredients for success.
Drug therapy
Treatment with drugs is usually carried out if a woman suffering from tubal infertility has some kind of chronic inflammatory diseases of the fallopian tubes. A number of medications fight inflammation, thereby reducing adverse effects. The choice of treatment tactics largely depends on the specific pathology that caused the development of tubal infertility. So, for the purpose of therapy, a woman who dreams of becoming a mother can be prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs. They are usually assigned to a course appointment. In this case, the doctor must indicate a single dosage and the number of days of admission. This is determined individually.
If the cause of the inflammatory process in the fallopian tubes is an infection, then in this case, the appointment of antibacterial drugs is required. Currently, doctors give preference to modern antibiotics, which have a wide spectrum of action. The advantages of prescribing such funds are obvious. Antibiotics with a broad spectrum of action can effectively fight a wide variety of pathogenic (disease-causing) microbes. Modern antibacterial drugs are generally well tolerated. They are also scheduled for coursework.
After antibiotic therapy, an assessment of its effectiveness is mandatory. For this, a woman may be assigned blood tests, as well as taking smears from the genital tract. If the performed antibiotic therapy is recognized as ineffective, then in this case, another antibiotic with an alternative regimen of use is selected.
In the treatment of infectious pathologies, various drugs can be used. So, some of them are prescribed for oral administration - in the form of capsules, powders or tablets. Others are given by injections.
The choice of the method of drug administration largely depends on its chemical properties. The method of administration of the drug is chosen by the attending physician.
Physiotherapy
A variety of physiotherapeutic methods can be used to treat tubo-peritoneal infertility. One of them is the appointment of electrophoresis with drugs that have anti-inflammatory and resorption effects. To achieve a positive effect, several procedures are usually required.
The frequency of visits and the number of treatment sessions is determined by the attending physician in conjunction with the physiotherapist. There are a number of contraindications for each physiotherapy technique, therefore they are prescribed only by specialists.
Gynecological operations
In some cases, surgical intervention is required to eliminate the cause that led to the development of tubal infertility. The operation in this case should be aimed at improving the situation, and should also contribute to improving the possibility of natural conception. After a surgical gynecological intervention on the fallopian tubes, a woman can be assigned a supporting complex of drug therapy, as well as physiotherapy, if necessary.
Assisted reproductive technologies
Unfortunately, in practice, there are quite often cases when after a long and sometimes exhausting treatment, doctors still fail to achieve a positive therapeutic effect. In this case, modern medical technologies come to the aid of a woman who dreams of feeling the beauty of motherhood, one of which is in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Before IVF, a woman who plans to conceive a baby soon needs some preparation. For this, doctors prescribe a complex of examinations to the expectant mother, and, if necessary, select a treatment regimen. This is necessary so that she was able to bear the baby during pregnancy.
Before IVF, treatment of concomitant diseases is mandatory, since exacerbation of such pathologies during pregnancy can significantly worsen the prognosis.
For what tubal infertility is, see the next video.
