The Daily PANCE and PANRE Question 6

A 27-year-old nulliparous female presents because she's been trying to get pregnant for two years, but has failed. She relates a history of a misdiagnosis of appendicitis that lead to abscess formation when she was 14 years old. Which of the following diagnostic studies would be most helpful at this point in her evaluation?

  1. TSH level
  2. Hysterosalpingogram
  3. Laparoscopy
  4. PAP smear
  5. Pelvic ultrasound

Answer: B 

Hysterosalpingogram

While I would disagree that an invasive procedure like HSG should be done first-line, the thing to remember in this question is that the patient has reason to have tubal scarring from adhesions (and there is no better answer listed to choose), so, for a board exam I would choose this answer. The TSH level would not be indicated (she has not had a pg loss), lap could diagnose the tubal scarring but would be done after an abnormal HSG. Pap smear is screening for cervical cancer and not indicated in this case of infertility, and the pelvic US would yield nothing diagnostically about the tubes.


Know Your Content Blueprint

Infertility is part of the NCCPA Content Blueprint Reproductive System (8%)

Review Topic: Infertility