Is it possible to get pregnant with blocked fallopian tubes? Your most-searched questions about journeys to conception with blocked tubes, answered

Is it possible to get pregnant with blocked fallopian tubes? Can you ovulate with blocked fallopian tubes? Can IVF be successful with blocked tubes?

Some of us at TRB HQ have been there too – so much of a fertility journey can be spent scrolling Google and forums for hours, looking for answers. 

If you’ve been diagnosed with blocked tubes, getting clear on next steps, as well as finding a reliable, expert perspective on what your journey to conception could look like, is so important.

In light of this, we’ve gathered some of of the top questions you’re asking about blocked fallopian tubes and pregnancy and put them to the team at Femasys, one of the leading experts at the cutting edge of fertility testing and treatment, right now.

Read on for their Q&A.

Diagnosing and treating blocked fallopian tubes

First, a little background. Generally speaking, blocked fallopian tubes don’t have any symptoms – fertility problems and difficulty conceiving are the main factors your provider will look for.

Your fallopian tubes can be checked for blockages using either fluoroscopic X-rays, or an ultrasound. 

If you’ve been diagnosed with tubal factor infertility after one of these checks, you might have learned that one or both of your tubes might be blocked. You might have a hydrosalpinx, a condition where fluid fills and expands behind a fallopian tube blockage.

Your doctor might recommend laparoscopic surgery, or a non-surgical procedure to flush through your tubes. 

Read our blocked fallopian tubes 101 with team Femasys, for more on the causes, diagnosis, and treatment options.

Blocked fallopian tubes and pregnancy – your questions

1. Is it possible to get pregnant with blocked fallopian tubes?

This is, understandably, a common one. And the short answer is yes – it is possible to get pregnant if you have been diagnosed with blocked fallopian tubes.

However, there are a few things to note here. Your chances of getting pregnant will depend on whether one or both tubes are blocked, and whether they’re fully or partially blocked.

• One tube blocked – If only one of your fallopian tubes is blocked, your fertility isn’t as likely to be impacted as much, and the remaining open tube allows for the egg to meet the sperm and fertilize.
• Both tubes blocked – If both tubes are blocked, natural conception is really unlikely without treatment.

Given this, your age, the location of the blockage, and the type of treatment you have to remove the blockage will also play a role.

2. Can you ovulate with blocked fallopian tubes? 

Yes, you can still ovulate even if you have blocked fallopian tubes. 

If one or both of your ovaries are functioning normally, you’ll most likely be able to release eggs. However, if you’ve got blocked fallopian tubes, sperm won’t be able to meet the egg in the tube where fertilization takes place.

If you have one blocked tube, some fertility medications, like metformin, could help you ovulate on the side that’s open, improving your chances of conception.

3. What is the blocked tubes ectopic pregnancy connection? 

Having blocked tubes is said to be linked with a slightly increased risk of ectopic pregnancy.

The exact causes of ectopic pregnancy need more research, but it’s thought to be more likely to happen if your fallopian tubes have been damaged in any way – this includes scarring and adhesions from surgery or previous blockages.

Also, if your tubes are partially blocked and you’re ovulating normally, fertilization may be able to take place, but if the egg can’t then move into your uterus, it could implant within the fallopian tube instead.

An ectopic pregnancy, whilst rare and not likely to further impact your fertility, can be incredibly difficult to deal with, both physically and emotionally, so getting the right support is crucial.

4. Can you get pregnant after hydrosalpinx surgery?

It is certainly possible to get pregnant after a hydrosalpinx surgery. 

Hydrosalpinx surgery involves either removing the affected tube completely (known as a salpingectomy) or creating an opening in the tube via a process called a salpingostomy, to drain the fluid that’s built up in the tube and clear the blockage.

Post-surgery, statistics on pregnancy vary, but a systematic review of 22 studies indicated that the pregnancy rate and the live birth rate in women both sit at around 27% and 25% respectively. 

This said, your body will need time to heal after surgery, and working with your medical team to build a plan for starting to try to conceive is key.

5. Is IVF successful with blocked tubes, and what are the other fertility treatment options available? 

IVF is often the go-to treatment if you’re looking to conceive and you’ve got both fallopian tubes blocked. Since IVF bypasses the fallopian tubes entirely, having blocked tubes won’t impact the process or success rates at all.

However, IVF can be a huge undertaking, and might not be right for everyone.

Other treatment options include:

• Intrauterine insemination (IUI) – Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is not typically recommended for women with blocked fallopian tubes, as it involves placing sperm directly into the uterus. If one or both fallopian tubes are blocked, the sperm might not be able to reach the egg.
• Intratubal insemination (ITI) – Created by the Femasys team, FemaSeed goes one step further than traditional IUI, and delivers sperm directly into your fallopian tube on the side where your egg is located in a completely non-surgical process called intratubal insemination (ITI).
  

Intratubal insemination with FemaSeed requires at least one open fallopian tube, making it ideal if that’s your situation, and may increase your chance of becoming pregnant without having to walk the IVF route. 

Ask about next steps

When you’re looking at your options for next steps – whether your fertility journey includes blocked fallopian tubes or otherwise – self-advocacy is so key. 

If you’re based in the US or Spain (keep an eye on their website for a growing list of available countries) ask your clinic about FemaSeed and explain that it is the latest in artificial insemination technology.

Connect with their expert team to access more information, and the latest product resources, and to stay up to date on when it might become available at a clinic near you.