Fallopian tube

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Fallopian tube is a slender tube through which eggs pass from an ovary to the uterus.

Fallopian tube
Fallopian tube

Female reproductive system[edit | edit source]

In the female reproductive tract, there is one ovary and one fallopian tube on each side of the uterus.

Function[edit | edit source]

Eggs pass from the ovaries, through the fallopian tubes, to the uterus

Common problems associated with fallopian tubes[edit | edit source]

Salpingitis[edit | edit source]

Inflammation of the fallopian tubes is called salpingitis.

Fallopian Tube Surgical Procedures
Fallopian Tube Surgical Procedures

Ectopic pregnancy[edit | edit source]

  • Ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside the main cavity of the uterus.
  • An ectopic pregnancy often occurs in a fallopian tube, which carries eggs from the ovaries to the uterus and this type of ectopic is called a tubal pregnancy.

Infertility[edit | edit source]

  • Infertility in women has many causes one of which is call tubal factor infertility.
  • Tubal factor infertility occurs when a blockage in the fallopian tubes obstructs the egg and sperm to meet.
  • Tubal factor infertility accounts for about 25-30% of infertility.
  • The condition includes either partial or complete and unilateral and or bilateral obstruction.

What causes tubal factor infertility?[edit | edit source]

  • Infections, abdominal surgery, and endometriosis can cause scarring between the end of the fallopian tube and ovary.
  • Infections may be, but are not necessarily, sexually transmitted.
  • Chlamydia and gonorrhea are two common sexually transmitted infections that can cause tubal infertility.
  • Tuberculosis, uncommon in North America, and a ruptured appendix can both cause a tubal infection. Surgery can also damage your fallopian tubes.
Ectopic pregnancy in Fallopian tube
Ectopic pregnancy in Fallopian tube

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)[edit | edit source]

  • PID can also travel from the cervix through the uterus to the tubes, which can ultimately cause the delicate inner lining of the tubes to become permanently scarred.
  • The opening of the tube next to the ovary may become partially or completely blocked; scar tissue will often form on the outside of the tubes and uterus.

Cancer of fallopian tubes[edit | edit source]

  • Cancer that forms in the tissue lining the fallopian tube
  • The cancer sometimes begins at the end of the fallopian tube near the ovary and spreads to the ovary.
  • Fallopian tube cancer is similar to ovarian epithelial cancer and is staged and treated the same way.

Female sterilization[edit | edit source]





Fallopian tube Resources
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD