HSG Test

[newlywedtzh]

I had a consult with my Ob/GYN after a year of TTC - 1 MC 1 Chemical and although she thinks I should try to get pregnant one more time before delving into recurrent miscarriage testing she does think I should get this HSG test done. Has anyone had this done? Is it painful?

 

[ItsAWonder]

It's a good place to start. I have heard it can cause some cramping but that's all. I did not have this, but I did have an extensive ultrasound. Your results will be more definitive. I found out that I have a fibroid outside of my uterus and one that is in the wall, which is not even 1 CM. We also saw what we thought was a polyp.

Then I had a Hysteroscopy where they actually take a camera into the uterus and they put me to sleep with Propofol. The fibriod is not distorting my uterus at all and should not be causing my miscarriages (I also had one chemical and one MMC). What we thought was a polyp was retained products of conception. They did a d&c - which was about 4 weeks after Misoprostol. Although I did not find a cause for my miscarriages, after the procedure I feel great and I even ovulated this past weekend.

In the end, the ultrasound let to good things. Even if everything is fine with your HSG test, it will rule out possible issues. If they find something than they have something to fix.

 

[Kuawen]

I have had two HSG's done in the past, and while my experience might not be the same as yours, I can at least help you to know what to expect.

They'll fit a catheter up into the cervix and inflate a small balloon that is designed to keep the catheter in place. This can feel odd and might make you a little crampy if your cervix is sensitive. Then they will position you for an x-ray and, while they are injecting the contrast agent through the catheter and into your uterus they will take several x-ray "photos". This is the part that can be painful and for myself it was. It feels like very intense period cramps because they're essentially pushing something in where it wants to come out. Not everyone has this pain and most even feel none at all I just have a very finicky and sensitive system. If it gets to be too much you can ask them to stop and wait until you've adjusted. Eventually the uterus will be full of the contrast agent and they are looking to see if any of it leaks through the fallopian tubes or if it is blocked. Some women have cramps so intense that it causes the tubes to "clamp shut" and result in a diagnosis of blocked tubes. But more often the dye does pass through the tubes and this can even help to open them further and facilitate easier conception the next time you ovulate.

I hope this has helped and I'm happy to answer any questions, though it shouldn't replace seeking information from a trained medical professional.