Higher Prevalence of Endometrial Polyps in Patients with Fallopian Tube Obstruction: A Case-control Study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To study the association between endometrial polyps and fallopian tube patency diagnosed by hysteroscopy, conventional histology, and 4-dimensional (4D) hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography (HyCoSy).

DESIGN

A case-control study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

SETTING

A university hospital.

PATIENTS

A total of 323 women of reproductive age underwent 4D HyCoSy and hysteroscopy between January 2015 and December 2017.

INTERVENTION

A retrospective analysis of the association of endometrial polyps and fallopian tube obstruction (n = 154) or patency (n = 169) in patients who underwent 4D HyCoSy.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The prevalence of endometrial polyps was significantly higher in patients with bilateral fallopian tube obstruction than in patients with bilateral fallopian tube patency (42.9% [66/154] vs 20.1% [34/169], p <.0001). In univariate and multivariate analyses, the presence of endometrial polyps was found to be a risk factor for tubal obstruction with an odds ratio of 3.16 and 2.59, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of endometrial polyps is higher in infertile patients with fallopian tube obstruction than in patients with fallopian tube patency. History of endometrial polyps, ectopic pregnancy, and pelvic inflammatory disease are risk factors for tubal obstruction.