A hysterosalpingogram has been recommended for me.
The nature and purpose of the procedure, its potential benefits and risks, the likely outcome without the procedure, and the available alternatives have been explained to me.
In summary, I understand that during this procedure, radio-opaque contrast (“dye”) will be injected into my uterine cavity and fallopian tubes to observe them under fluoroscopy (“X-ray”), and that the purpose is to determine whether my uterine cavity is normal in size and shape and/or whether my fallopian tubes are open. A short course of antibiotics has been recommended to minimize the risk of a pelvic infection.
The risks of the procedure include, but are not limited to:
1) Pelvic infection, particularly if the tubes have a pre-existing infection, possibly resulting
in pelvic adhesion formation and subsequent infertility;
2) Allergic reaction to the dye and/or antibiotics, resulting in hives and/or breathing difficulty;
3) Perforation of the uterus, resulting in bleeding;
4) Exposure of fetus to X-ray and dye and possible miscarriage, if the procedure is inadvertently carried out during a pregnancy.