Science & technology | Infertility

A neglected way to unblock Fallopian tubes needs revisiting

Fertility doctors may be missing a trick

Infertility: false-colour hysterosalpingogram of the abdomen of a woman suffering from blocked fallopian tubes. Hysterosalpingography is an X-ray technique that employs a contrast medium to outline the uterus and both fallopian tubes, coloured here in shades of blue. It is used in the diagnosis of infertility due to obstructed tubes, a possible consequence of pelvic inflammatory disease. In this patient, the right tube (left on image) is blocked near the uterus - the upper triangular feature. No contrast medium appears to have penetrated through the obstruction. The left tube is obstructed at a point further from the womb & dilatation (enlargement) has occurred.

In-vitro fertilisation (ivf) is marvellous. But it is also a palaver. It involves drugs, injections, early morning vaginal ultrasound monitoring, sedation, minor surgery, medical skill, high-tech machines and luck. And at several thousand dollars a pop, it is expensive. Not to mention that it is more likely than not to fail.

This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Unblocking the problem”

The right way to fix the energy crisis

From the June 25th 2022 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

More from Science & technology

A person's silhouette made up from a mix of multi coloured fragments of plastic

Should you worry about microplastics?

Little is known about the effects on humans—but limiting exposure to them seems prudent

Parasitic wasp - laying egg in hoverfly larvae.

Wasps stole genes from viruses

That probably assisted their evolutionary diversification


The World Health Organisation crest on the wall.

America’s departure from the WHO would harm everyone

Whether it is a negotiating ploy remains to be seen


Genetic engineering could help rid Australia of toxic cane toads

It is better than freezing them to death

High-tech antidotes for snake bites

Genetic engineering and AI are powering the search for antivenins

Can you breathe stress away?

It won’t hurt to try. But scientists are only beginning to understand the links between the breath and the mind