Influence of induced abortion on tubal findings in hysterosalpingography among women with infertility in Calabar, Nigeria

Abstract

Background/Aim: Induced abortion is a major cause of infertility in our environment, with postabortal complications commonly occurring, especially when done by untrained medical personnel, and in unsafe environments. Imaging plays a very important role in the assessment of tubal factors as a possible cause of infertility; hence, the choice of hysterosalpingography (HSG) as a vital initial tool in the diagnostic evaluation of these patients. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between induced abortions and HSG tubal findings in the management of females with infertility. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of 87 HSG's of women being managed for infertility in a private specialist hospital over 2 years from November 2015 to October 2017. Results: The overall mean age of the respondents was 34.09 ± 4.82 years. Most of the respondents were between 30 and 39 years (60.9%) of age, 70 (80.5%) respondents were nulliparous, and 71 (81.6%) had a previous history of induced abortion. Tubal findings were found to be normal in over a third of the respondents (35.6%). The most common abnormal findings were tubal blockage and hydrosalpinx (50.6%). The abnormal tubal findings were significantly associated with a history of more than one induced abortion and nulliparity (P < 0.05). Hydrosalpinx (86.4%) was commonly linked with a previous history of induced abortion, although the difference was not statistically significant (P ≥ 0.05). Conclusions: The study demonstrated that abnormal tubal findings in HSG are more common among women with a history of induced abortion; however, the prevalence of tubal damage had mild correlation with the number of induced abortions.