Abortion incidence following fallopian tube repair

The likelihood that ovum transport is altered after fallopian tube surgery for infertility is suggested by the high ectopic pregnancy rate that follows such surgery. To test the hypothesis that a primary (although undefined) disturbance of ovum transport may lead to faulty uterine implantation and so to abortion, the author examined the case records of 273 patients who underwent nonmicrosurgical bilateral tubal surgery for infertility at King George V Memorial Hospital, Sydney, between 1966 and 1975. An analysis of the nature of the first pregnancy in the 71 patients in whom conception occurred indicates an ectopic pregnancy rate of 8.5% and a spontaneous abortion rate among uterine pregnancies of 20.0%, both of which are higher than would be expected normally. It is suggested that the 3 specific reproductive difficulties that can follow technically successful tubal surgery are lasting infertility despite tubal patency, ectopic pregnancy, and abortion.