PATTERN OF HYSTEROSALPINGOGRAPHIC FINDINGS AMONG INFERTILE WOMEN AT A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN NORTH WEST, NIGERIA

BACKGROUND: Infertility is a global public health problem, with the highest prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa where infection-related tubal damage is the commonest cause. Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is the first line investigation in the evaluation of tubal patency. OBJECTIVES. The study was performed to assess the prevalence and pattern of HSG findings in patients who went through infertility clinic at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital METHODOLOGY. It was a retrospective study of the HSG findings among infertile women at the infertility clinic of Aminu st st Kano Teaching Hospital between 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2017. RESULTS. Majority of the patients had normal HSG findings (55.6%, n=124). The commonest abnormality was bilateral tubal blockage with or without hydrosalphinx (25.6%, n=57). Other abnormalities include right tubal blockage only (3.6%, n=8), left tubal blockage only (2.2%, n=5), right hydrosalphinx (13.5%, n=30), left hydrosalphinx (10.8%, n=24), intrauterine adhesions (6.7%, n=15), uterine fibroids (4%, n=9), pelvic adhesions (8.1%, n=18) and congenital uterine anomalies (1.3%, n=3). CONCLUSION. The commonest abnormality on HSG among infertile patients at the gynaecology clinic was bilateral tubal blockage with or without hydrosalphinx which are usually infection related . Prompt diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections and other pelvic infections will therefore go a long way in preventing tubal damage and the dreaded sequelae of infertility.