There are many causes of tubal blockages or abnormal fallopian tubes. These causes include adhesions, infections, infectious or non-infectious pelvic inflammatory diseases, scar tissue, endometriosis and damaged tube ends or damaged fimbria. The number one cause of blocked tubes is a chlamydia infection. Some women have had chlamydia and not even known it so that the damage has already occurred without a woman even having an idea that any infection was ever there.
Other potential causes of blocked fallopian tubes:
1)History of uterine infection caused by an abortion or miscarriage
2)History of a ruptured appendix
3)History of abdominal surgery
4)Previous ectopic pregnancy
5)Prior surgery involving the fallopian tubes
A blocked tube hinders a pregnancy by preventing the egg and sperm from meeting. Many times in blocked tubes, an egg will not even be able to get much past the ovary let alone the whole way to the uterus. Blocked tubes also increase your risk of an ectopic pregnancy as the egg can become fertilized in the tube but the embryo can not make it back to the uterus, therefore causing it to implant in the tubes. This is a highly dangerous scenario and can cause infection if the tube bursts.
A blocked tube can also cause fluid to build up in the tube. This fluid can eventually back up into the uterus. When there is fluid in the uterus it impedes implantation of the embryo in the uterine lining. Most clinics will not do an IVF procedure unless a blocked tube is unblocked or removed because of this fluid problem.
