HSG (Hysterosalpingogram)

To schedule your HSG (Hysterosalpingogram) call our office during the weekday after you start your period. The test should be done after your period has finished and before you ovulate. This is usually between day #5 and day #10 of your cycle. It is important that you are not pregnant during this procedure and that you have checked your insurance for possible coverage and prior authorization requirements.

Our office will call the Radiology Department on the first floor of California Pacific Medical Center (3700 California St.) to schedule your test. Please arrive 30 minutes early to register at the admitting office in the lobby before going to the Radiology Department. We recommend that you take 3 tablets of Advil, 30 minutes before arriving to be more comfortable, but pre-medication is not required. If you want alternative medications, please call and come by the office.

One of your doctors will meet you at the Radiology Department where you will change into a gown and lay on an X-ray table during the HSG. Before the procedure, you will be given a local anesthetic that you will hardly feel on the cervix, which will make you more comfortable. The actual procedure takes less than 15 minutes, but do allow for one to two hours off work. An oil dye will be injected through your opening to the cervix, uterus and tubes to determine abnormalities and to see if your fallopian tubes are open. During this time, you may feel some cramps. After the filming, you may need to walk around for 20 minutes for one more picture or return the next day for one more plain X-ray. The follow up film does not require re-registration. You just need to inform the clerk at the Radiology window.

Statistically, there is a less than 2% chance of causing or activating a pelvic infection from this test. If you have a history of PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease) be sure to tell us so that we can give you antibiotics to take before the test. They will provide you with a pad and/or tampon when you leave the X-ray Department for the discharge and oil that will leak for a few hours afterwards.

The final report of your HSG test will be read and sent to our office within a week. At your next office visit, we can review the final report and discuss plans.

Here are some common questions about the HSG test:

What is an HSG? (Hysterosalpingram)

An HSG is an x-ray procedure used to examine the inside of the uterus and to see if there are any tubal blockages. Contrast dye is used to highlight the pelvic organs so they are visible on a flouroscopic X-ray.

When is it used?

This procedure is usually done to discover the cause of infertility, heavy bleeding or painful menstruation.

How do I prepare for HSG?

You should urinate before the test and may need some Advil or Tylenol about half an hour before the procedure.

What happens during the procedure?

1. First you lay supine on an examination table and position your feet, just like a pelvic exam.
2. The doctor opens up the vagina using a tool called a speculum and cleans the cervix
   (opening of the uterus).
3. The doctor inserts a slender tube into the vagina and injects dye into the uterus and fallopian tubes while x-rays are taken.

You may feel nauseous or dizzy and have some cramps for a few hours. You may also have some bloody vaginal discharge. The nurse or technician will give you a pad and/or tampon to use right afterwards. If you have a fever or an increase in pelvic pain after the procedure, be sure to notify your doctor.

What are the benefits of this procedure?

This procedure will not cure the problem, but it may help the doctor discover what the problem is and how to treat the problem. Though this procedure is not a treatment, statistically, there is a higher pregnancy rate especially the first 3 months after an Ethiodol HSG.

What are the risks associated with this procedure?

Your abdominal cavity may be irritated, causing cramps or a fever. In rare cases, you may have an allergic reaction to the dye, which may include swelling of the skin, hives, nausea, fainting, or shortness of breath. The oil can tract into uterine blood vessels and travel into your circulatory system.

When should I call the doctor?

• You develop a fever.
• You have an allergic reaction to the dye.