How important are the Fallopian tubes for fertility?

Objectives:

To determine the incidence of active vaginal infection in women undergoing IVF, relate it to the cause of infertility, and investigate a relation with the outcome of fresh ET.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

Tertiary care infertility referral "center".

Patients:

Two hundred eighty-six women who underwent 344 oocyte recovery procedures for IVF cycles between March 1997 and January 1998.

Interventions:

High vaginal swab specimens and endocervical swab specimens were obtained and ELISA serology was performed for detection of Chlamydia species on samples taken immediately before oocyte recovery. The results were related to the cause of infertility and the outcome parameters.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Pregnancy rates.

Results:

Seropositivity for Chlamydia species and the presence of bacterial vaginosis both were strongly and independently associated with tubal disease. There was no difference in pregnancy rates in any of the groups regardless of their serologic status for chlamydial infection or current infection with bacterial vaginosis.

Conclusion(s):

This study provides further evidence of the pelvic pathogenicity of bacterial vaginosis. However, it shows that women who have bacterial vaginosis or who have been treated for chlamydial infection in the past achieve pregnancy rates with IVF treatment similar to those of women who have no evidence of such infections.

Please click on the required question.

• 1 What is infertility?
• 2 How prevalent are infertility problems?
• 3 What are the main causes of infertility?
• 4 What are the objectives of our infertility investigations?
• 5 Have there been any noticeable changes in fertility requirements in recent years?
• 6  What is the effect of our age on fertility?
• 7 I smoke cigarettes. Can this have an effect on my fertility?
• 8 Does my weight influence fertility?
• 8A Obesity! How can I lose weight?
• 9 I have fibroids. Could these reduce my fertility?
• 10 I have been told that my womb has an abnormal shape and that was the way that I was born. Could this reduce my fertility?
• 11 I have endometriosis. Could this reduce my fertility?
• 12 I have been told that I have cervicitis or a cervical ectopy (erosion). Could this impair my fertility?
• 13 My doctor tells me that my womb is retroverted (tilts backwards). Could this reduce my fertility?
• 14 I have had an ectopic pregnancy. Does this affect my future fertility?
• 15  We are worried that we may have a fertility problem. What should we do?
• 16 How will our doctor be able to identify the cause of our infertility?
• 17 How can we tell if I am releasing my eggs (ovulating)?
• 18 Investigations have shown that I have a problem releasing my eggs (anovulation). What could be the cause of this?
• 19 How important are my Fallopian tubes in fertility?
• 20 How can we tell if my Fallopian tubes are functioning?
• 21a What are the causes of male factor infertility?
• 21 How can we assess male fertility?
• 22  What is the purpose of a post-coital test (PCT)?
• 23 We have had our infertility investigations and our problem remains unexplained. How can this be?
• 24 What are our chances of achieving a pregnancy?
• 25 Where can I obtain more information?
• 26 Could we have some recommended infertility support groups?
  

Thank you for choosing to visit us.

This is the personal website of David A Viniker MD FRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London - Specialist Interests - Reproductive Medicine including Infertility, PCOS, PMS, Menopause and HRT.

I do hope that you find the answers to your women's health questions in the patient information and medical advice provided.