41 with blocked tubes

Hi I am 41 yrs old both my tubes are blocked with fluid, I was told 3 years ago I would need them removed before Ivf which put me off going ahead, I then fell pregnant naturally but miscarried. Would I be able to have ivf without tube removal? And what are my chances? Many thanks sarah

Our Expert's Answer

This information was published 6 years, 9 months ago and was correct at the time of publication. It may not reflect our current practices or regulations.

Please note that all the answers we give are on a generic basis only, as we cannot provide more in-depth answers without access to your medical history. If you need a more detailed response, tailored to you, we would recommend a consultation with one of our Fertility Specialists for more comprehensive medical advice.

Hi Sarah. The short answer is yes, you could have IVF without the removal of your fallopian tubes. However, it is not recommended. IVF success rates are dependent on many different variants including age, so we should try and find every possible way to maximise these chances.

Hydrosalpynx (fluid in blocked fallopian tube) can reduce ongoing pregnancy chances quite significantly. Additionally miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy risk is quite high. We would very much encourage you to speak to your family GP about having tubal surgery without significant delay as IVF success rates fall dramatically between ages of 40 to 42, so really time is of the essence.

We hope this is helpful and should you wish to have a 1-2-1 discussion with a patient advisor about IVF treatment, please telephone us on 0161 300 2737.