Medically reviewed by
Dr. Eric Coughlin
McLeod OB/GYN Associates

An ectopic pregnancy, blocked or ruptured fallopian tube, infection or cancer all demonstrate reasons a woman might need the removal of one or both fallopian tubes.

“A fallopian tube leads from a woman’s ovaries to her uterus, creating the path that her eggs travel for potential fertilization,” says McLeod Gynecologist Dr. Eric Coughlin. “In 2015, the Academy of Obstetricians & Gynecologists stated that there were three primary reasons a woman might want to consider this procedure, also called a salpingectomy:

• First, a woman might be planning a hysterectomy (removal of her uterus) but wants to retain her ovaries to prevent premature menopause and other health risks.
• Second, a woman who seeks permanent sterilization would get the same contraceptive benefits as a tubal ligation (“getting your tubes tied”).
• Third, women who have an increased risk of ovarian cancer and are already planning abdominal or pelvic surgery.”

If medication doesn’t successfully treat a pregnancy that mistakenly forms in the fallopian tube (ectopic pregnancy), surgical removal of the fallopian tube might be necessary as well.

Research revealed that “ovarian” cancer often develops first in the fallopian tubes, where the most aggressive and deadly cancer appears to grow. Two separate studies confirmed that removing both fallopian tubes reduces the risk of ovarian cancer by 50-75%.

A salpingectomy can be performed along with a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) or an oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries), depending on the diagnosis.

ACTION YOU CAN TAKE
A so-called prophylactic salpingectomy to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer should be undertaken after serious discussion with a Gynecologist about your personal risk of cancer and how removal of your fallopian tubes relates to your overall cancer risk.

Find a Gynecologist near you.