A hysteroscopy is a procedure used to examine the inside of the uterus in order to search for conditions which could inhibit becoming pregnant or maintaining a pregnancy. It’s carried out using a hysteroscope, which is a narrow telescope with a light and camera at the end. Images are sent to a monitor so that your fertility specialist can see inside your uterus.
A hysteroscopy is not recommended for all patients routinely. If you have a history of pregnancy loss or if we suspect a problem in the uterus, we may recommend one. In the event that a uterine polyp is seen on a scan or HyCoSy, we could perform a hysteroscopy and remove the polyp at the same time. This may improve your chances at a successful outcome.
The level of pain experienced during the hysteroscopy varies from person to person. During the procedure, you may experience some discomfort and have a cramping sensation like period pain. We advise our patients to take two paracetamol about 30 minutes before the procedure. Sedation is usually not required for this procedure, and it takes about 20 minutes to complete.
Traditionally fertility patients have been referred to general hospitals to have hysteroscopies done. This has added time and inconvenience to the patient’s fertility journey. By adding this service, we hope to minimise the disruption that fertility investigations and treatments cause to patients.