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Sign up for our free e-mail newsletter, HEALTHbeat.   Email address:     Incontinence Weight Loss Prostate Disease Vitamins and Minerals Aching Hands See All Titles Common Medical Conditions Wellness & Prevention Emotional Well Being & Mental Health Women’s Health Men’s Health Heart & Circulatory Health   contact us		What risks are there from the test? It is common for patients to have a small amount of bleeding from the vagina and some pelvic cramping for a few days after the procedure. If you have heavy bleeding, fever, or increasing pain in the pelvis, you should call your doctor. Some women experience an allergic reaction the contrast dye. The most significant risk from this procedure is infection, which happens in close to 3 out of 100 patients. Most doctors use a water-soluble dye when they do this procedure; there are some risks associated with oil-based dyes that are still used in some centers, including rare scarring problems in the uterus or (rarely) breathing complications if the oil moves into a blood vessel. As with x-rays, there is a small exposure to radiation. In large amounts, exposure to radiation can cause cancers or (in pregnant women) birth defects. The amount of radiation from a hysterosalpingogram is too small to be likely to cause any harm. However, since the x-ray exposure is directed right at the pelvis and ovaries, it is very important to be sure you are not pregnant at the time of the test.
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