Fallopian Tube in Spanish

Where are the fallopian tubes?

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) dictionary describes a fallopian tube as one of two long, slender tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus, with one ovary and one tube on each side of the uterus. An NCI illustration caption says the organs in the female reproductive system include the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, and vagina.

What do the fallopian tubes do?

According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the egg is released from a follicle on the ovary in a process called ovulation, and after ovulation the egg moves down the fallopian tube. Sperm move into the cervix and through the uterus into the fallopian tube. MedlinePlus adds that in most pregnancies the fertilized egg travels through the fallopian tube to the womb (uterus).

Terms built on the fallopian tubes

An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that occurs outside the womb. MedlinePlus says it can happen if the movement of the egg through the tubes is blocked or slowed, and that the most common site is the fallopian tube; MedlinePlus lists tubal pregnancy among its alternative names. MedlinePlus states that an ectopic pregnancy may be life threatening and that emergency medical help is needed if the area breaks open (ruptures). Emergency signs need urgent care (call 911 in the U.S.).

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the uterus, ovaries, or fallopian tubes; MedlinePlus lists salpingitis among its alternative names. Tubal ligation, sometimes called "tying the tubes," is surgery to close the fallopian tubes.

What it means

A fallopian tube is one of two long, slender tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus. In the female reproductive tract there is one ovary and one fallopian tube on each side of the uterus, and eggs pass from the ovaries, through the fallopian tubes, to the uterus. MedlinePlus also calls them the uterine tubes. The word also appears in several related terms: an ectopic pregnancy, which occurs outside the uterus and is most often in a fallopian tube, has tubal pregnancy among its alternative names in MedlinePlus, and tubal ligation is surgery to close the tubes. In Spanish the term is trompa de Falopio.

Spanish term: Trompa de Falopio
Gender and article: feminine: la trompa de Falopio (plural: las trompas de Falopio)
Pronunciation: TROHM-pah deh fah-LOH-pyoh

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
trompa uterina	General	Synonym given by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary at the end of its entry for trompa de Falopio.
las trompas	General	Short form used by MedlinePlus en español once the context is clear, as in ligadura de trompas and bloquear las trompas.
tubárico / tubárica	General	Adjective that corresponds to English tubal: MedlinePlus en español lists embarazo tubárico and ligadura tubárica.

Trompa de Falopio is the term used by both MedlinePlus en español and the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary. It is feminine, and because there are two, it often appears in the plural: las trompas de Falopio. Both sources write Falopio with a capital letter. The NCI dictionary adds that the organ is also called trompa uterina, and MedlinePlus en español often shortens it to las trompas.

For English "tubal," MedlinePlus en español uses ligadura de trompas for tubal ligation and lists ligadura tubárica and ligar las trompas as other names. An ectopic pregnancy is embarazo ectópico, with embarazo tubárico as an alternative name. Pelvic inflammatory disease is enfermedad inflamatoria pélvica, abbreviated EIP, and salpingitis is spelled the same in both languages.

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Clinician	Have you ever had surgery on your uterus, your ovaries, or your fallopian tubes?	¿Ha tenido alguna vez una cirugía del útero, de los ovarios o de las trompas de Falopio?
Patient	Yes, I had an ectopic pregnancy three years ago, and they removed my right tube.	Sí, tuve un embarazo ectópico hace tres años y me quitaron la trompa derecha.
Clinician	Have you had a tubal ligation?	¿Le han hecho una ligadura de trompas?
Patient	No, my tubes are not tied.	No, no tengo las trompas ligadas.
Patient	The report says one of my fallopian tubes is blocked. What does that mean?	El informe dice que una de mis trompas de Falopio está obstruida. ¿Qué significa eso?
Clinician	We are going to do a pelvic ultrasound to look at your uterus and ovaries.	Vamos a hacerle una ecografía pélvica para ver el útero y los ovarios.
Patient	I have pain low in my belly on the left side, and my period is late.	Tengo dolor en la parte baja del vientre, del lado izquierdo, y tengo un retraso en la regla.
Clinician	If the pain becomes severe or you feel faint, call 911 or go to the emergency room right away.	Si el dolor se vuelve intenso o siente que se va a desmayar, llame al 911 o vaya a la sala de emergencias de inmediato.

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Fallopian Tube
Spanish (Español)	Trompa de Falopio
Chinese (中文)	輸卵管
Korean (한국어)	나팔관
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Vòi trứng
Filipino (Tagalog)	Fallopian tube
Portuguese (Português)	Tuba uterina
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	ท่อนำไข่
Japanese (日本語)	卵管

Where you'll see it

radiology reportchartoperative reportdischarge summary

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Reproductive health and pregnancy

All terms in this area: Reproductive health and pregnancy — Salud reproductiva y embarazo

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.