HSG Test? 5 Truths About HSG Tests

So, what is an HSG test? What happens during the procedure? What are the risks, and how can HSG tests help you tell whether you can get pregnant.

Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is a radiologic procedure to investigate the shape of the uterine cavity and the shape and patency of the fallopian tubes.

An HSG test is also known as a hysterosalpingogram. It is basically a form of x-ray procedure carried out to find out if a woman has blocked fallopian tubes. It can also be used to examine the formation of the uterine cavity.

The HSG test provides the doctor with a clear way of viewing the structure of the uterus and fallopian tubes, and can be used to determine whether scars, adhesions, or tumors are blocking the fallopian tubes. It can also confirm whether the uterus is free of structural abnormalities.

The HSG test doesn't actually take very long: it's about an hour and a half, and does not involve surgery - the physician inserts a thin tube through the cervix, and fills the uterine cavity with liquid.

This liquid can be seen using special xray equipment, and if there is an occulsion, or anything structurally unusual about the uterus or fallopian tubes, it will show up on the screen.

As with all surgical procedures, there are risks and complications. Firstly if you have any undiagnosed allergies, you could find yourself reacting to the liquid. This can set your fertility back significantly.

Complications of the procedure include infection, allergic reactions to the materials used, intravasation of the material, and, if oil-based material is used, embolisation. In radiology, intravasation is used to describe penetration of radiographic contrast into the soft tissue lymphatics and veins of a hollow organ as a result of increased filling pressures. For example, intravasation of contrast material into the uterine wall can occur during a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) if the endometrial cavity is overfilled due to obstruction of the Fallopian tubes.

In medicine, an embolism (plural embolisms) occurs when an object (the embolus, plural emboli) migrates from one part of the body (through circulation) and causes a blockage (occlusion) of a blood vessel in another part of the body.

You can usually return to work a day after the test, but you may experience cramps for a few days after the test. Some women report feeling faint, or bleeding as a result of the HSG. While these side effects are common, it is worth calling your doctor just in case they develop into something worse.

In conclusion, the risks associated with an HSG test are minor, and compared to the suffering many women go through when trying to conceive, the risks seem very small indeed.