
What are the side effects of salpingectomy?
Answered by Dr. Howard E. LeWine
M.D. Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing · 40 years of experience · USA
Salpingectomy is the removal of one or both fallopian tubes, the tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus. If both are removed, a woman’s eggs and a man’s sperm have no way to meet. Therefore, egg fertilization cannot occur and pregnancy through sexual intercourse cannot happen. The procedure may cause some discomfort, and there is always a risk of infection and side effect from anesthesia with any surgery.
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Can you still get pregnant after salpingectomy?
Answered by Dr. Howard E. LeWine
M.D. Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing · 40 years of experience · USA
Salpingectomy is the removal of one or both fallopian tubes, the tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus. If both are removed, a woman’s eggs and a man’s sperm have no way to meet. Therefore, egg fertilization cannot occur and pregnancy through sexual intercourse cannot happen. If only one tube is removed and the other tube is healthy, then pregnancy through sexual intercourse can still happen. Even if both fallopian tubes are removed or blocked for some other reason, pregnancy may be possible with invitro fertilization (IVF).
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