Q: I am a 26 years sold female. I had abdominal tuberculosis for which laparotomy was performed. I was on antituberculous drugs (AKT) for nine months. The medicines continued till last year. Now I want to plan a baby. Is it safe for me to get pregnant now? Should I undergo any special test? My ultrasound and ESR reports are normal. Please suggest.

A:First of all, you must consult your physician / surgeon regarding adequacy of treatment. If he/she says nine months is ok, then it’s fine. Some doctors prescribe a year of treatment for abdominal TB depending upon extent, severity etc. Please consult an experienced gynaecologist for full evaluation (physical examination is important). She may then, after reviewing your laparotomy notes, decide whether or not you need to undergo an HSG (special X-ray to test patency of fallopian tubes). If HSG is required, I would recommend an endometrial aspiration biopsy for AFB smear and culture and Mycobacterium TB PCR before the HSG. If TB is still lingering within the uterus (and not completely eradicated by treatment), pelvic TB can flare up after HSG. Sometimes abdominal TB can be associated with TB of genital organs - especially tubes. In such a case, conception may be difficult or result in an ectopic pregnancy (tubal pregnancy). However, I have seen few cases who had abdominal TB and have undergone surgery for TB of the gut, but have conceived spontaneously and carried the pregnancy to term without any problem.