FALLOPIAN TUBES
The fallopian tubes play an important role in pregnancy
or conception. This branch outs from either side of the body of
the uterus and forms the passages through which the egg is conducted
from the ovary into the uterus. The fallopian tubes are about
10 cm long & the outer end of each tube is funnel shaped, ending
in long fringes called fimbriae. The fimbriae catch the mature
egg and channel it down into the fallopian tube when it is released
from the ovary. Fallopian tube itself is highly movable muscular
structure capable of precisely coordinated movement. The egg &
the sperm meet in the outer half of the fallopian tube, called
the ampulla fertilization occurs here, after which the fertilized
egg now called an embryo its way down the tube towards the uterus.
The uterine end of the fallopian tube, called the isthmus, prevents
the embryo from being released into the uterus until just the
right time for implantation, which is about 4 to 7 days after
ovulation. The tube is much more complex than a simple pipe, and
the lining of the tube is folded and lined with microscopic hair
like projection called cilia, whose beating pushes the egg and
embryo along the tube, the tubal lining also produces a fluid
that nourishes the egg and embryo during its sojourn in the tube.
Fallopian tube abnormalities account for between 25% and 50% of
female infertility. Damages to fallopian tubes usually occur through
pelvic infection, often due to unknown causes. There are certain
causes of pelvic infection.
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Infection after childbirth, miscarriage, medical termination
of pregnancy (MTP) or IUD (intrauterine device) insertion.
- Postoperative pelvic infection (e.g. surgery for perforated
appendix, ovarian cysts)
- Severe endometriosis's
- Tuberculosis
Besides causing blocked tubes, any pelvic inflammatory disease can
also produce bands of scar tissue, called adhesions, which can alter
the functioning of the fallopian tubes. Pelvic tuberculosis is a
fairy common cause of tubal damage in India. It is a silent disease,
and most women suffering from pelvic tuberculosis are unaware of
this fact. The tuberculosis bacteria reach the tubes from the lungs
through the bloodstream & can cause irreparable tubal damage. There
are also certain other abnormalities in which fallopian tubes get
damaged but they are very minimal. These abnormalities can be treated
successfully through unani herbal medications.
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