Abstract:
ABSTRACT
Background
Fallopian tube and uterine defects are responsible for infertility in more than 30% of infertile
couples. Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is a safe and less invasive method of detecting both
the tubal and uterine defects.
Objectives
To describe hysterosalpingography (HSG) imaging findings in infertile female patients
investigated at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH)/Radiology department from July to
December,2010
Material and methods
This descriptive cross-sectional study, involved 130 women participants with infertility who
attended MNH Radiology department for HSG examination between July to December 2010.
Demographic data and radiological findings were reviewed and the obtained data analysed
with SPSS version 15. Statistical level of significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results
The participants mean age was 30 years and mean duration for infertility was 5 years.
Secondary infertility was slightly commoner than primary infertility. Majority (70%) of
patients were aged 16-30 years. Abnormal findings at HSG were found in 60% of the patients.
Most of these abnormal findings were found in those patients with older age between 31 and
45 years and those with long duration of infertility for more than 5 years. The commonest
finding was tubal blockage accounting 41% of cases and the least was uterine congenital
abnormality (3.8%). Uterine fibroid was the commonest uterine pathology accounting for
10% of all cases.
Conclusion
Generally, high proportion of patients in this study showed presence of uterine and fallopian
tubes pathology. Fallopian tubal blockage was the most diagnosed tubal structural
abnormality while the uterine leiomyoma was the highest uterine pathology. There was no
vi
significant difference in the presence of pathology between patients with primary and
secondary infertility. However, older age above 30 years were significantly associated with
presence of structural abnormality in both uterus and fallopian tubes
Recommendation
HSG is recommended for initial routine work-up of infertile women.
Further studies are needed to establish the aetiologies of these abnormalities.
