Background: Fallopian tube patency testing is an essential part of infertility evaluation. Hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography (HyCoSy) has been described as reliable, well tolerated and safe compared to other modalities such as laparoscopy and a dye test or hysterosalpingography. Limited availability of the previously used contrast has led to the introduction of a foam contrast agent as an alternative.
Aims: To assess the tolerability, safety and occurrence of pregnancy post-procedure of hysterosalpingo-foam sonography (HyFoSy).
Materials and methods: A retrospective cohort study of women who had a HyFoSy at Queensland Ultrasound for Women from March 2013 to February 2015. A questionnaire was sent to their referring doctor to identify any complications or subsequent pregnancies with or without artificial reproductive technology (ART) within six months of the HyFoSy.
Results: Of 200 women, four cases were abandoned due to difficulty introducing the intracervical catheter, severe discomfort or a vasovagal episode. Response from referring doctors for 155 women reported no post-procedural complication. One hundred and eleven women were followed up for at least six months. Twenty-four out of 59 women (40.7%) who had ART and 24 out of 52 women (46.2%) who did not have ART conceived. Fifty percent of women who were nulligravida at the time of investigation, found to have at least one patent fallopian tube, whose partner had a normal semen analysis, spontaneously conceived within the time of follow up.
Conclusions: HyFoSy is well tolerated and safe. A preponderance of pregnancies in the first month after HyFoSy suggests that a therapeutic effect may exist.
Keywords: fallopian tube; hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography; hysterosalpingo-foam sonography; infertility; ultrasound.
© 2017 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.