Pregnancy can't occur unless an egg can navigate the length of the fallopian tube to reach the uterus. Scar-tissue buildup in the fallopian tube often leads to infertility or ectopic pregnancy, where the embryo implants in the fallopian tube rather than in the uterus. Many disease processes can cause scar tissue to form in the fallopian tube.
Salpingitis
Salpingitis, infection in the fallopian tube, most often results from chlamydia or gonorrhea infection. Chlamydia, a common sexually transmitted disease, is the cause of 75 percent of infertility related to scar tissue in the tube, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Salpingitis specifically describes pelvic inflammatory disease, called PID, in the fallopian tube. PID, which affects almost 1 million American women a year, leads to infertility in 20 percent of women. With each infection, the risk for damage to the tube from scarring and subsequent pregnancy difficulties increases, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is the presence of endometrial tissue, which normally lines the inside of the uterus, outside the uterus. Endometrial implants grow on nearby structures, including the fallopian tubes, and bleed each month during the menstrual period. Scar tissue forms where bleeding occurs and can completely block the fallopian tube over time. Scar tissue from endometriosis can also form between the fallopian tubes, ovaries and uterus, distorting the tube and making it impossible for an egg to reach its opening, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Previous Surgery
Every surgery leads to some degree of scar-tissue formation. Previous pelvic or abdominal surgery can lead to scar tissue formation on the fallopian tube. Surgery on the bowel, appendix or uterus, including previous Cesarean section, can cause scar tissue to form on the fallopian tube, according to Georgia Reproductive Specialists.
Previous Tubal Ligation
When their life circumstances change, some women who have had their tubes "tied" in a surgical procedure known as tubal ligation want the procedure reversed. Most tubal ligation techniques cause scarring on the tube either by clamping a section of it or by burning or removing part of it. Any technique for ligating tubes causes scar tissue on the tube, the Reproductive Medicine and Surgery Center of Virginia states.
