What are Possible Hydrosalpinx Symptoms?

1.What is Hydrosalpinx?

Hydrosalpinx is a specific kind of blocked fallopian tube. Hydrosalpinx is formed when a blockage causes the tube to increase in diameter and fill with fluid. The fluid blocks the meeting of egg and sperm, preventing fertilization and pregnancy. Therefore, hydrosalpinx is a very serious threat to fertility and it also increases the likelihood of miscarriage.

2.Causes of Hydrosalpinx

Hydrosalpinx is usually a consequence of pelvic infectious or inflammatory disease spreading into the fallopian tubesand pelvis via the uterus and cervix. Some of these diseases might have significant clinical symptoms such as pain, fever, malaise, nausea etc.. However, some of them may go unnoticed because the symptoms of pelvic infection or inflammation are mild and may be misinterpreted as urinary bladder infection or bowel problems.

Hydrosalpinx is often caused by previous infection, for instance, sexually transmitted disease like chlamydia or gonorrhea. It can also be caused by previous pelvic surgeries, pregnancies, miscarriages or abortions.

3.Symptoms of Hydrosalpinx

Hydrosalpinx may cause diverse symptoms in women. Hydrosalpinx may cause women have recurring lower abdominal pain or unusual vaginal discharge, but not every woman may have these symptoms, that's to say, some might be asymptomatic.In fact, many women with hydrosalpinx never experience any noticeable symptoms at all. Because tubal function is impeded, infertility is a common symptom. Women who are not trying to get pregnant and have no pain, may go undetected. And sometimes the patients would even never know they have hydrosalpinx until they try to get pregnant and fail.

Endometriosis and abdominal surgery sometimes have a close relationship with the problem. These infections usually affect both of the fallopian tubes. Although a hydrosalpinx can be one-sided, the other tube is often affected as well - malfunctioning. This is because of the cause of hydrosalpinx - chronic inflammation of salpingx, which may spread locally in the pelvic cavity and affect the other fallopian tube. As a result, a group of hydrosalpinx patients may experience some of pelvic inflammatory disease symptoms.

By the time hydrosalpinx is detected, the patient usually is sterile, and does not contain an active infection.