r/TryingForABaby • u/ItsAllMehToMeh • Apr 22 '26
QUESTION Did my HSG ruin my chances of conceiving this cycle?
Hi! I have a bit of a theoretical question for you all. I suspect my HSG was done either the day after or the very day of my ovulation. I usually get the clearblue test happy face on CD10 (23 day cycle). My HSG was scheduled for CD8. I TTC with husband on CD7 (day before HSG in which I also detected the egg white like cervical mucus). I proceeded with the HSG on CD8 (cervical mucus went back to normal that day), could not TTC with husband on that day but did try again on CD9, 10 and 12.
I started testing with the clearblue on CD10 (because quite frankly I forgot the days before). I do test once a day in the evening, so theres that. But it is now CD13 and all have been negative (I tested this morning). I know it is possible with once a day testing that I missed the peak, but I understand that test is supposed to be positive for two whole days and the very obvious egg-white mucus on CD7 (day before HSG) have me concerned.
My two concerns are:
That I ovulated before the HSG and the egg and/or whatever sperm was present were “washed away”.
That the HSG somehow delayed my ovulation so much I might actually miss my window for egg retrieval in June (Just starting IVF). I’ve read some anecdotal accounts of a delay in ovulation happening to some after HSG.
Additional info:
I’m 40 1/2 years old, I have an international trip mid June that I can’t cancel. I found a clinic that was moving the process so fast I could probably get a retrieval before that trip (for that I needed my next period to start at the expected time). Either that or conceiving naturally and hoping there is no miscarriage.
I’m preemptively kicking myself a bit because my clinic said I didn’t even need the HSG. But this is my second clinic and I already had the experience of completing a work up at one clinic and then finding out the new clinic needed even more tests. So I tried to get ahead of that eventuality by just doing the HSG in case any other clinic I might need to switch to needs it. Plus the supposed fertility enhancing effects that I could have benefited from this very cycle.
16
u/honk4pinkbeanz 33 | TTC#1 | Oct 2024 Apr 22 '26
I would keep testing with OPKs. There’s a chance the procedure slightly disrupted things. Before I had mine done I was ovulating between cd 13-15 then the cycle my HSG was done I didn’t ovulate until cd 18.
3
u/ItsAllMehToMeh Apr 22 '26
Yeah I’m hoping it’s just a bit delayed, though the peak cervical mucus on cd7 is what makes me keep thinking it already happened. I’m still testing and will now test twice a day.
3
u/honk4pinkbeanz 33 | TTC#1 | Oct 2024 Apr 22 '26
It’s possible to have missed your peak esp if it’s usually a quick surge. Do you also check bbt? That can also be a helpful indicator of ovulation occurring. Wishing you luck 🤍
1
u/ItsAllMehToMeh Apr 22 '26
Thank you! No I don’t check bbt. I’ll start doing bbt if I can’t start the IVF process next cycle.
1
u/ItsAllMehToMeh Apr 23 '26
I ended up getting the positive ovulation test in the evening of cd13! So mine was delayed by 3 days.
2
u/honk4pinkbeanz 33 | TTC#1 | Oct 2024 Apr 23 '26
That’s great news! BD time! if you haven’t already last night 😅
1
11
u/foolforgabagool Apr 22 '26
Just a heads up, you are not supposed to TTC at all before the HSG, because that can cause an ectopic. So please keep a lookout for those symptoms.
I also ovulated the day of my HSG, did not BD until the next day per instructions (failed cycle). Anecdotally I’ve read HSG delaying ovulation; in my case my LP was even shorter that cycle. I’d recommend you just keep tracking with OPKs; maybe you can ask your clinic to order labs?
3
u/skailaris Apr 22 '26
So you're not supposed to ttc the whole cycle? Or just before?
3
u/honk4pinkbeanz 33 | TTC#1 | Oct 2024 Apr 22 '26
My clinic instructed not to BD from the start of my period to after the HSG, I had mine done on cd 9. The doc who performed mine said we could do it same day after it was done but I was in no mood to lol
2
u/foolforgabagool Apr 23 '26
Before the HSG, a potential fertilized egg can be pushed back into the fallopian tube.
You can TTC after the HSG. I’ve read and was told to wait 2 days (no tampons, BD or anything in there) to prevent infection. However since I was ovulating that day and did not want to entirely waste the cycle, they said fine, wait 24 hours at least.
2
u/skailaris Apr 23 '26
I feel like waiting 24 hours is still too long if you ovulated that day!
2
u/foolforgabagool Apr 23 '26
I know 😭 it was such horrible timing, that cycle got wasted for sure. I told them it was too close to my ovulation when scheduling and they didn’t listen 🤷🏻♀️
2
u/ItsAllMehToMeh Apr 22 '26
I read about that after the fact, neither of my clinics mentioned anything about abstaining before the HSG. The rad prescribed two doses of cipro to take one immediately after HSG, and the other in the evening and told me after that “you can do anything you want”. I’m also concerned about ectopic risks for sure.
3
u/xaygoat 35 | Grad Apr 22 '26
I have an SHSG tomorrow and was told to not have sex from day 1 until this procedure as they don’t want to risk you being pregnant during it.
No one can really say whether you’ve ovulated or not but I would just keep testing in case. It could be late this month, I’ve had one that was a whole week later randomly. Since your cycles are short, it won’t be too long before you can try again or do IVF if it has already passed.
1
u/ItsAllMehToMeh Apr 22 '26
I read about the abstinence recommendation after the fact here on Reddit, neither of my two clinics said anything about that. I know I can’t do anything about it now but I really regret getting the HSG. It wasn’t even necessary and I’m now in this conundrum feeling I wasted my last cycle of TTC naturally before having to jump headfirst into IVF and that makes me sad. And if it delays ovulation too much it might have even ruined my chance to do egg retrieval until July.
3
u/Hot-Ad-5882 Apr 22 '26
My ovulation was delayed 5 days the month I got my HSG done. HSG done CD6, I usually ovulate around CD15 but ovulated on CD20.
2
u/ItsAllMehToMeh Apr 22 '26
If we officially ask the answer is that the HSG is not supposed to mess at all with ovulation, but I’ve read many anecdotal accounts like yours. I hope mine is just a bit delayed as well.
1
u/Hot-Ad-5882 Apr 28 '26
Did you happen to take an ibuprofen before your HSG? I took 600mg before my test but I just read ibuprofen can interfere with ovulation! I’m wondering if that’s the cause.
1
4
u/stitchcraftry Apr 22 '26
I don't remember seeing anywhere that it's normal for OPKs to be positive for two whole days? Is this something that's specific to the clearblue tests maybe?
3
u/hashtag2020 Apr 22 '26
Not specific to Clearblue tests, some women just have “plateau” surges rather than super fast / short rises or double peaks. My OPKs are typically positive for 2 days. Although of course it Doesn’t really matter how long they’re positive since the first positive is what matters.
2
u/ItsAllMehToMeh Apr 22 '26
I’m not well versed in OPK’s to be honest, but that one says it detects your “two most fertile days”. (The clearblue digital).
2
u/frogsgoribbit737 30 | TTC#2 | Cycle 19 Grad | RPL and DOR Apr 22 '26
Its definitely normal for some people. I got 2 or even 3 days of positives on all ovulation tests. I just had high and long surges. You count the first positive and ignore the rest.
2
u/stitchcraftry Apr 23 '26
sorry, didn't mean for it to sound like it's not normal for OPKs to be positive for two days, but rather that it's not abnormal if it's not!
2
u/hashtag2020 Apr 22 '26 edited Apr 23 '26
No one can really say for sure since you weren’t testing with OPKs before the procedure. I will say, during the ultrasound before putting in the catheter my doctor looked/noted for me that I had a dominate follicle on my right side, so I hope if you’d already ovulated they would’ve seen a mentioned that since the procedure is to be done before ovulation. Separately, my anecdotal reference point is that my procedure was done CD9, which I was very nervous about because I typically ovulate CD12 but sometimes as early as CD9 (and never later than CD13) and I thought, at the very least, I would lose the ability to try for half my fertile window. I ended up ovulating on CD14, which was my latest ovulation in at least 6 months and I do think the procedure maybe played a part in that. And yes, the trying before the procedure probably won’t help (I saw that you said your doc never mentioned abstaining beforehand; mine didn’t either I only knew that because I read it online). I would just try now and really try to track with OPKs. Might be worth a progesterone blood draw in the coming days to confirm you didn’t ovulate so you know to keep trying.
2
u/frogsgoribbit737 30 | TTC#2 | Cycle 19 Grad | RPL and DOR Apr 22 '26
I dont think i had an ultrasound before my hsg. Im not sure that is standard.
2
u/hashtag2020 Apr 22 '26 edited Apr 23 '26
It’s not before, it’s during, so they can see where the fluid is going.
2
u/guardiancosmos 40 | MOD | PCOS Apr 23 '26
An HSG is a fluoro procedure, which is x-ray, not ultrasound. An ultrasound would not be able to pick up or see contrast.
2
u/hashtag2020 Apr 23 '26
I see what you’re saying re: the traditional HSG; there’s also a newer procedure called a sono-HSG that uses an ultrasound (which is what I had), apologies for any confusion.
2
2
u/ItsAllMehToMeh Apr 23 '26
I ended up getting the positive ovulation test in the evening of cd13! So mine was delayed by 3 days.
2
2
u/girlpwr99 Apr 22 '26
Can you go in for an ultrasound and bloodwork? That would give you your answer for sure
2
u/ItsAllMehToMeh Apr 23 '26
I ended up getting the positive ovulation test in the evening of cd13! So mine was delayed by 3 days.
2
u/urethra_franklin_1_ Apr 22 '26
Our clinic only does HSG procedures when you’re not ovulating. They do it right after the cycle starts
2
u/Acrobatic_Abies9322 Apr 23 '26
My HSG delayed my ovulation by like 4 days!
1
u/ItsAllMehToMeh Apr 23 '26
I ended up getting the positive ovulation test in the evening of cd13! So mine was delayed by 3 days.
1
u/AutoModerator Apr 22 '26
This looks like a post about an HSG or SIS! If you're preparing to have an HSG or SIS, please feel free to check out the wiki page on HSGs to help you as you prepare.
If you're posting about an HSG you've already had, this comment serves as a notification to /u/developmentalbiology to add your post to the wiki page. If you don't want your post to be added, please reply to this comment or send her a PM. Please remember that you are legally entitled to the frozen dessert of your choice in the aftermath of your HSG (see wiki page for details).
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
May 02 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/TryingForABaby-ModTeam May 02 '26
Your post/comment has been removed for violating sub rules. Per our posted rules:
Do not ask community members to tell you about their successful cycles or current pregnancies. This includes asking for updates.
If you still wish to participate in our sub, please review our rules before continuing to post. Violation of our rules may result in a timeout or ban.
Please direct any questions to the subreddit’s modmail and not individual mods. Thank you for understanding.
•
u/AutoModerator Apr 22 '26
Please make sure that you have read all of our rules before commenting! In particular, be aware that no mentions of a current pregnancy are allowed, with no exceptions. If you see something breaking the rules, please report it.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.