- With Mayo Clinic internist
Sandhya Pruthi, M.D.
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Sandhya Pruthi, M.D.
Sandhya Pruthi, M.D.
Dr. Sandhya Pruthi, certified by the American Board of Family Practice, has been practicing medicine at Mayo Clinic since 1995 with special interests in breast diseases and women's health.
She is a consultant in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, and the Breast Diagnostic Clinic. She is an assistant professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minn.
The Winnipeg, Manitoba, native stresses education and patient-related research and has been active in both areas since joining Mayo Clinic. She is the primary investigator at Mayo Clinic of several clinical trials evaluating new agents for the prevention of breast cancer and identification of biomarkers for early detection of breast cancer. Her other research and clinical interests include managing the health of women who are at increased risk of breast cancer, breast pain and hot flashes, and developing patient education decision-making tools for breast-related concerns. She is director of the Breast Diagnostic Clinic and is a member of the Women's Health Executive Committee. Dr. Pruthi has been newly elected as a member to the board of directors for the American Society of Breast Disease. She has assisted with a variety of articles for MayoClinic.com.
"Having an opportunity to share information with my patients in the way that will help them to understand and be able to make educated decisions about their own health is very important to me," she says.
"The Web has become a major information site for people, and I want them to get the best and accurate information to be able to make informed choices for themselves, their family members and friends."
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Question
Fallopian tubes: Is pregnancy possible with only one?
I have only one fallopian tube. Is it possible for me to get pregnant?
Answer
from Sandhya Pruthi, M.D.
Pregnancy is possible with only one fallopian tube — as long as you have one or both ovaries, you still ovulate, and the remaining fallopian tube is healthy.
Normally, a single egg is released each month by one of the ovaries. The egg travels to one of the fallopian tubes — typically the adjacent tube — where a sperm may fertilize it. The fertilized egg then travels to the uterus.
Ovulation tends to alternate between the ovaries. If you have only one fallopian tube, you're most likely to conceive on a month in which the egg is released from the ovary nearest your fallopian tube. Although it may be possible for an egg released from one ovary to travel to the fallopian tube on the opposite side, this is rare. Instead, any eggs released from the ovary on the opposite side typically won't have a chance to be fertilized. The egg will simply break down, and you'll have your next period as usual.
Keep in mind that fertility may be affected by other factors as well. You're less likely to conceive if one of your fallopian tubes was removed due to a tubal pregnancy or infection. In such cases, the remaining fallopian tube may not be normal. Conception is also less likely if you have only one ovary and it's on the opposite side of your only fallopian tube.
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