How long after angiography can I have a baby?

Fallopian tube obstruction is a common cause of female infertility. When you are not sure whether the fallopian tube is blocked, hysterosalpingography is needed for examination. Since hysterosalpingography involves the use of contrast agents, it will have certain effects on women's bodies, so you cannot have children immediately after the examination. So, how long after the angiography can you have a baby? Let’s take a look below.

Experts suggest that it is best to use contraception for three months before having a baby.

Hysterosalpingography is a test method used to check whether the fallopian tubes of women are unobstructed. When women go to the hospital for infertility examinations, they will undergo hysterosalpingography. The time limit for pregnancy will vary depending on the method and contrast agent used in hysterosalpingography. Some contrast agents allow you to get pregnant the next month, while others may require you to wait three months before you can get pregnant.

Although clinical observations show that women who become pregnant in the same month after angiography do not experience an increased risk of fetal abnormalities. However, from the perspective of eugenics and safety, the medical community still advocates that women should wait until the third month after undergoing salpingography before becoming pregnant to reduce the possible effects of X-ray exposure and uterine cavity manipulation during salpingography, and recommends pre-pregnancy and prenatal examinations during pregnancy.

Let’s take a look at the commonly used methods and contrast agents for hysterosalpingography.

1. Hysterosalpingography by X-ray

It is currently a very accurate method for diagnosing fallopian tube diseases. An iodine-containing contrast agent is injected into the uterine cavity and fallopian tubes through a catheter. The contrast agent's appearance in the fallopian tubes and pelvic cavity is observed under X-rays, and film recordings are taken at the same time to understand whether the fallopian tubes are unobstructed, the site of obstruction, the morphology of the uterine cavity, and the condition of pelvic adhesions.

There are 2 types of contrast agents:

(1) Traditional iodized oil: Its advantages are high viscosity, high density, clear image, slow flow, and ample time for filming. The second film can be taken 24 hours after the first film. It can not only observe the morphology and normal condition of the fallopian tubes, but also observe the presence of adhesions in the pelvic cavity through the diffusion of the contrast agent within 24 hours. The disadvantages are that the examination time is long, absorption is slow, and it is easy to cause foreign body reaction and form granuloma. Contraception is required for 3 months after surgery.

(2) Absorbable iodine water: such as diatrizoate, iohexol, etc. The advantages are low viscosity, fast flow, two consecutive films taken 10 to 15 minutes apart, short examination time, and rapid excretion through the kidneys without causing foreign body reaction. The disadvantages are: it flows quickly and disappears quickly. If the cooperation is not good, the photo will not be clear, and it is not accurate for observing the pelvic condition. But it generally does not affect pregnancy next month.

2. Hysterosalpingography

It uses ultrasonic contrast agents (such as hydrogen peroxide) to contrast the fallopian tubes. The flow of contrast agent microbubbles in the uterine cavity and fallopian tubes is observed under B-ultrasound to determine the patency of the fallopian tubes. It also has the effect of dredging and treatment. The examination is clear and quick, but this method sometimes cannot clearly determine the location of fallopian tube obstruction. Because ultrasound contrast agents have no toxic side effects and can protect against X-ray exposure, they will not affect pregnancy next month.