Why Hydrosalpinx Causes Implantation Failure And How Chinese Medicine Can Help

What Is Hydrosalpinx 

A hydrosalpinx is a fluid blockage of the fallopian tubes. Because the tubes are blocked, eggs and sperm cannot move between the ovaries and uterus, making it difficult to get pregnant. Hydrosalpinx isn’t that rare. Around 20-30% of infertility cases involve the fallopian tubes. Of these, 10-20% are due to hydrosalpinx.

Even if an egg is fertilised, it’s unlikely to implant in the endometrial lining of the uterus. In fact, it can cause an ectopic pregnancy, where it implants directly in the fallopian tube. Such pregnancies carry an elevated risk.

3 Ways How Hydrosalpinx Can Cause Implantation Failure:

It is important to understand why hydrosalpinx interferes with implantation. It’s the difference between repeating the same cycle and hoping for a different result, and actually addressing the underlying problem.

1. Toxic fluid leaks into the uterus

Toxic Flood = excess damp heat phlegm, stagnant fluids disrupting implantation

 The blocked, fluid-filled fallopian tube can intermittently drain into the uterine cavity, the hydrosalpinx fluid is toxic to embryos, and it reduces the receptivity of the uterine lining. The fluid can leak into the womb, disturbing the uterine environment in the early weeks of pregnancy and causing unfavourable conditions for implantation. 

2. The Embryo Washout 

Embryo Washout = weak Qi/Kidney failing to secure the embryo

If fluid enters the uterine cavity, it can disrupt early apposition and adhesion (the first stages of implantation). The fertilised embryo can end up flushed out of the system. 

After embryo transfer, if fluid is entering the cavity and creating disturbances, the embryo can be displaced before it has anchored. This is one reason why women with hydrosalpinx have higher rates of biochemical pregnancy, where a positive pregnancy test is followed by an early loss,  as well as complete implantation failure.

3. Impact on endometrial receptivity 

Hostile Lining = Blood Stasis or deficiency preventing the uterus from nourishing the embryo

 Inflammation associated with a hydrosalpinx reduced markers of endometrial receptivity. It might look fine on an ultrasound, even though it is less capable of supporting implantation.

Can Hydrosalpinx Also Affect Those Undergoing IVF?

One of the biggest misunderstanding about hydrosalpinx is that it only matters if you’re trying to conceive naturally, because the fallopian tubes are where fertilisation happens, and IVF bypasses the tubes entirely. So surely, if the embryo is being placed directly into the uterus, a blocked tube becomes irrelevant?

Patients with hydrosalpinx undergoing IVF have much lower rates of IVF success, including lower clinical pregnancy rates and higher early pregnancy loss. The fluid that builds up in the blocked tube can leak into the uterine cavity, altering endometrial receptivity and reducing the expression of key implantation‑related genes such as HOXA10 which is necessary for successful implantation. 

Why Is Hydrosalpinx Not Shown in Ultrasound

It is very common to miss Hydrosalpinx in a standard ultrasound, because mild or early fluid-filled tubes may be thin, collapsed, or hidden by surrounding structures. Studies show that while ultrasound is very specific, it overall had high specificity (99%) for diagnosing hydrosalpinx, its sensitivity was about 84%, meaning it can miss roughly 1 in 6 cases when compared to the reference standard. 

This is line with the Chinese Medicine belief, hydrosalpinx may not show on ultrasound because the issue is seen less as a structural “blockage” and more as an internal imbalance of fluids and Qi. TCM patterns such as Dampness, Phlegm accumulation, and Spleen Qi deficiency can cause fluid stagnation in the uterus or fallopian tubes without necessarily creating a large, easily visible mass.

How Chinese Medicine Understands Hydrosalpinx

Chinese medicine doesn’t disagree with Western medicine. But it often frames things differently, seeing conditions not as isolated problems but as part of a wider disruption within the body.

Hydrosalpinx is characterised as a fluid-filled fallopian tube in Western medicine. However, Chinese medicine understands that a combination of factors obstructs the tube: Dampness/ Phlegm, Blood Stasis and Spleen and Kidney Imbalance. 

• Dampness and Phlegm can accumulate, leading to fluid buildup. The fluid seen in hydrosalpinx is a manifestation of internal Damp-Phlegm lingering in the reproductive system.

• Blood Stasis prevents the fluid from being cleared, Chronic obstruction leads to Blood Stasis which can lead to poor blood circulation in the pelvic region, reduce nourishment to the uterus and cause physical blockage of the channels (including fallopian tubes).

• Spleen and Kidney Imbalance In Chinese Medicine hydrosalpinx can also be caused by imbalances elsewhere in the body and is not just local. 

Spleen deficiency → failure to transform fluids → Damp accumulation
Kidney deficiency → weakened reproductive function and uterine environment

For a successful implantation to occur, a uterus must be:

• Warm and well-nourished.
• Contain a constant flow of Qi and Blood
• Be a stable environment

Hydrosalpinx disrupts all three facts. By restoring Blood flow, alleviating dampness, and supporting organ function, this uterine environment can be bolstered.

Hydrosalpinx Treatment with Chinese Medicine

1. Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the most effective treatments in Chinese medicine. It works by inserting needles into specific points around the body. That activates the neuroendocrine system, sending signals to adjust how the body functions.

There’s growing evidence supporting its effects. In hydrosalpinx, acupuncture may increase blood flow, regulate hormones, and support the implantation window. One systematic review of acupuncture in recurrent implantation failure (IVF) found that patients had a higher implantation rate, endometrial thickness, and clinical pregnancy rate.

Overall, acupuncture creates a more hospitable environment for successful IVF, solving many of the problems associated with hydrosalpinx.

2. Supplements

Herbal supplements play an important role in supporting fertility within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). A 2013 review of 20 clinical trials (involving over 1,700 women) noted that herbal medicine combined with IVF pregnancy rates and ongoing pregnancy rates in women undergoing IVF.

The specific herbs prescribed depend on your underlying condition and body imbalances. A trained Chinese medical practitioner can advise you on the best treatment. Herbal supplements can be a great natural yet effective option, often associated with high success rates when tailored appropriately.

3. Diet and Lifestyle to Support Egg Quality

As we have mentioned above, the Kidney Jing is the foundation of reproductive energy. Because of this, it’s important to support the Kidney Jing’s health whenever possible. One way to do this is through diet.

Three factors can worsen hydrosalpinx symptoms:

Stress reduction. Living with high stress raises cortisol levels. Cortisol is fine in short bursts. However, prolonged levels increase bodily inflammation, exacerbating the problems in the uterine environment.

Gut and immune support. Your gut and immune system work hand in hand. Your gut microbiome, the community of bacteria living in your gut , supports your immune system. Eating probiotics and prebiotics can replenish your “good” gut bacteria and increase their population.

Hormone balance. Stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise can harm your hormone health. Positive lifestyle changes reduce bodily inflammation and restore the normal hormonal cycle. Because hydrosalpinx has a hormonal component, treating this can increase your chances of a healthy, successful pregnancy.

How to Integrate Chinese Medicine with IVF

Chinese medicine isn’t a replacement for Western medicine or IVF. They work together. But it doesn’t work overnight. Because it assists the body’s natural processes, it can take several months to have an effect.

It’s best to start treatment around 3-6 months before IVF. The treatments continue,  although they can be adjusted — during the IVF cycle and post-transfer. Together, this provides the optimal chance for a successful implantation.

GinSen offers Chinese Medicine treatment in Chelsea and Kensington. We also deliver herbal treatments around the UK, supporting women with recurrent implantation failure and hydrosalpinx.

After a consultation with a practitioner, you’ll receive a personalised plan to help improve your fertility. Book your first consultation today.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. We can’t guarantee the treatment result, as the symptoms of conditions are unpredictable and vary greatly from person to person. The treatment length and recovery time also varies for individual. Please visit our clinics website: GinSen where a specialists will discuss your care and provide a consultation, and the treatment will be designed to meet your individual needs.