Pattern of hysterosalpingographic findings among women with infertility in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is a radiological procedure that is routinely done for female fertility workup in most clinical settings. Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is primarily done to assess tubal patency, but it can detect cervical, uterine, and peritoneal diseases. As such, it remains a valuable tool in the evaluation of female infertility in our environment, where the high prevalence of infertility has been largely attributed to tubo-peritoneal factors. It was a retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study. A total of 215 HSG reports of women with infertility at the Department of Radiology, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria, were reviewed retrospectively. Data on sociodemographic profile, reproductive profile, infertility profile, and HSG reports were obtained from the case records and archives of the Department of Radiology on a proforma. The obtained data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Most of the clients were within the age range of 35 to 44 years. Secondary infertility accounted for 58.6% of cases of infertility. Abnormal HSG was reported in 70.2% of cases. Tuboperitoneal pathology was the most common abnormality, detected in 46% of cases. Uterine and cervical pathologies were seen in 38.1 and 15.3% of cases, respectively. A total of 116 (53.9%) of the cases had a combination of abnormalities. Abnormal HSG was significantly associated with secondary infertility and a history of induced abortion (p=0.006 and ˂0.001, respectively). Tuboperitoneal pathologies are still a common cause of infertility in our environment. HSG remains a valid tool for female infertility workup.