An HSG can provide valuable information about your uterus and fallopian tubes

The fertility specialists at Texas Fertility Center San Antonio believes in the power of an accurate infertility diagnosis. The right diagnosis leads to more effective treatment, which can help the patient bring home a healthy baby more quickly. This is why our San Antonio fertility doctor performs comprehensive diagnostic testing, which often includes ordering a hysterosalpingogram, or HSG.

How does a hysterosalpingogram work?

This diagnostic test is an X-ray procedure that can help our San Antonio fertility doctor determine whether a patient’s fallopian tubes are open. It can also help her see whether the inside of the uterus is normal.

A radiologist will usually perform an HSG after the patient’s period and before ovulation. This exam involves the following steps.

• The patient will lie on an exam table under an X-ray imaging device. The technician will place a speculum in the vagina before placing a catheter at the opening of the cervix.
• The technician will then use the catheter to fill the uterus with dye that an X-ray can pick up. The X-ray device will create images as the dye moves through the uterus and fallopian tubes.

This outpatient procedure typically only takes about five minutes to perform, and most women only experience light cramping for a few minutes.

What do the findings of the HSG mean?

The X-ray images will reveal whether you have any uterine abnormalities or fallopian tube blockages. However, you don’t have to decipher these images yourself. Our San Antonio fertility doctor will review the results of your hysterosalpingogram with you.

• If you have a normal uterine cavity and open fallopian tubes, the dye will move freely through the uterus and out the end of each fallopian tube.
• Should you have an abnormality in your uterus, the movement of the dye will have been interrupted by this abnormality.
• If you have blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, the dye will not spill out the end of each tube.

The HSG results will help us work with you to develop a customized treatment plan for your needs. For example, if you have tubal infertility, she will likely recommend in vitro fertilization (IVF) to bypass the fallopian tubes. In the case of uterine abnormalities, she may recommend minimally invasive surgery to correct them.

Regardless of what your diagnostic test results reveal, we can help you find a way to start or grow your family. Contact us to schedule an appointment and learn more.