Trying to Spot the Problem
A hysteroscopy is a method of observing the inside of the uterus in order to diagnose or treat various reproductive issues in women. It is most commonly used in the treatment and diagnosis of infertility, abnormal uterine bleeding, and the removal or investigation of adhesions. It may also be used to confirm other test results, such as hysterosalpingography, or as a prelude to dilatation and curretage.
A hysteroscopy is performed by expanding the uterus with fluids or gas and inserting a long, thin probe with a camera into the opening. Sometimes the hysteroscope will also have a small tool attachment or a channel to allow tools into the uterus, making it easy for surgeons to find and remove problematic parts of the uterine interior, such as fibroids or adhesions.
Common Applications of Hysteroscopy
Most of hysteroscopy's practical applications are related to fertility complications and uterine malfunction or deformity. Infertility can be a frustrating experience, and it's only natural for a woman to want to know why her pregnancy test kits keeping returning a negative result. Repeatedly using pregnancy test kits in an effort to get the "correct" results is stressful and can, over time, become damaging both to the individual's psyche and to their relationships. Luckily, hysteroscopy can offer some insight into why those pregnancy test kits keep coming back negative, and bring a couple back together.
A couple might be labeled as "infertile" for numerous reasons. Sometimes the shape, size, or interior of the uterus will show what's stopping them from being able to conceive. Hysteroscopy can reveal the reason for negative pregnancy test kits, and with some luck, the root cause of the couple's infertility will be treatable at the same time it is observed. In some cases, ongoing medication and continued doctor's visits can help maintain a healthy level of fertility, allowing for many more positive results on future pregnancy test kits.
Some otherwise healthy women have difficulty carrying an embryo longer than twenty weeks. Essentially, she's getting positive results on pregnancy test kits, only to later lose the baby before it has developed into a fetus. This pattern of repeated miscarriages, which are sometimes called "chemical pregnancies", might be related to a problem in the uterus. Hysteroscopy can find and often eliminate these problems.
Surprisingly, displaced intra-uterine devices (IUDs) may have to be found and removed using hysteroscopy. An IUD is a common, inexpensive birth control device, by which the entryways to the uterus and the fallopian tubes are blocked by a small plastic or metal T-shaped piece. The idea is to allow intercourse without having to worry about positive pregnancy test kits afterwards. However, in rare cases, an IUD can slip out of position and bury itself in the uterine lining. Not only does this immediately stop them from being effective birth control, it may also cause pain and abnormal bleeding. Hysteroscopy can be used to locate and remove the IUD before the situation develops any further - hopefully before any positive results on any pregnancy test kits.
Adhesions are bands of scar tissue binding mucous membranes to one another. They can form inside the uterus in women with Asherman's syndrome or endometriosis, causing pain, abnormal bleeding, and infertility. Using a hysteroscope, a doctor may be able to enter the uterus and sever these bands of tissue, allowing the body to move freely again. In many cases, removing adhesions has a positive effect on fertility (and thus the results of pregnancy test kits), and some patients report having their first pregnancy less than six months after a hysteroscopy.
A hysteroscopy is a minor surgical procedure with the potential to fully restore a woman's life as fertile and functional. If you're struggling to get positive results on pregnancy test kits, discuss hysteroscopy with your doctor at your next appointment.
