Spontaneous Pregnancy After Tubal Ligation What Are The Chances
The chances of getting pregnant naturally after a tubal ligation are low and thats generally a good thing. After all, people typically have tubal ligations as a form of permanent birth control. But, those odds might not be as low as you would expect.
According to a large study that followed over 10,000 women with tubal ligations, 143 sterilization failures were reported. While thats only about 1.5%, its probably higher than you would suspect given tubal ligations are often advertised as a near foolproof form of permanent birth control. Interestingly, the odds depend greatly upon the type of tubal ligation performed.
Now that weve covered the rare natural pregnancy after tubal ligations, lets jump into medical treatments that those with tubal ligations can use to have a baby when they are actively trying to grow their family.
Why Might I Need A Tubal Ligation
Choosing this form of birth control may be a good choice if:
- You are an adult woman
- You are in a stable relationship in which both partners have agreed to permanent birth control
- Pregnancy would be a health risk for you
- You or your partner has a genetic disorder that you don’t want to pass on to a child
This form of birth control may not be the best choice for you if you are unsure if you will want to become pregnant in the future. It also may not be a good choice if you may have other partners in the future. Having a new partner might make you reconsider getting pregnant.
What Is Tubal Ligation
Tubal ligation, sometimes referred to as female sterilization, is a birth control method that involves surgically blocking both uterine tubes to prevent the egg and sperm from meeting. The uterine tubes can be removed, cut and tied with a special thread or tied with special tapes or a clamp. An electric current can also be used to seal the tubes.
Tubal ligation is considered a permanent form of birth control. In fact, research suggests that the chances of getting pregnant after tubal ligation during C-section are less than one percent.
Read Also: Can You Get Lasik Eye Surgery While Pregnant
Will I Be Able To Get Pregnant
The chance of becoming pregnant after tubal surgery depends on 3 factors: the amount of damage to the tubes, the health of the partners sperm, and the age of the woman. If the tubes are badly damaged or remain blocked even after surgery, a woman may be able to get pregnant through in vitro fertilization . In IVF treatment, eggs and sperm are collected and joined outside the body in a laboratory. After 3-5 days, the healthiest fertilized eggs are placed into the womb, where they can grow into a pregnancy. If the sperm count is low, going straight to IVF may be recommended because this treats both tubal disease and low sperm counts.
Tubal Ligation Syndrome: Does It Exist
Some misconceptions related to tubal ligation include a condition referred to as tubal ligation syndrome. However, its existence has not been proven. Its symptoms are believed to include cramps, hormonal imbalances, early menopause, poor health, irregular periods, chronic abdomen and low back pain, and heavier periods.
But there is no clinical evidence that shows that tubal ligation has any kind of health effects or side effects.
Other misconceptions include:
Also Check: Can I Use Vagisil Wash While Pregnant
How Can An Egg Travel Down The Only Fallopian Tube I Have When It Is Produced On The Other Side From The Ovary Where I Have No Fallopian Tube
The Fallopian tubes and uterus are lined with little receptor cells that, at the point of ovulation, are sent a chemical signal that âswitchesâ them on and they emit a signal that attracts a similar receptor in the egg and in the sperm to come and meet in the same place, i.e. the Fallopian tube. The Fallopian tubes are not attached to the ovaries and, at the point of ovulation, some very delicate structures called the fimbriae on the end of the Fallopian tube begin to move gently drawing the egg toward the end of the Fallopian tube .
How To Get Pregnant After Having Tubes Tied: Tubal Ligation Reversal
In learning about a tubal reversal, its important to understand the basics of tubal ligation. During the elective sterilization via tubal ligation, a surgeon in one way or another blocks the ability of eggs and sperm meeting. Most often, this is done by closing some portion of the fallopian tube itself, but can be done by removing the tube entirely.
In a Tubal Ligation Reversal, or tubal anastomosis as it is medically known, a surgeon repairs and reconnects both the left and right fallopian tubes by carefully reopening the surgically closed portions of the tubes. This allows the sperm and egg to once again travel into the tubes, meet, fertilize, travel back down the tube, and implant in the uterus. Of course, this requires enough tube present to reconnect and repair.
In most cases, a tubal ligation is reversible. The fact that women with tubal ligations have been pregnant before also bodes well for their chances for a successful subsequent pregnancy, pending any significant time or other medical developments.
Don’t Miss: Can I Put Braces While Pregnant
Answering Your Questions On Conceiving After An Ectopic Pregnancy
It is likely you have been advised to wait for three months if you have had methotrexate, or for two full menstrual cycles after surgery, before trying to conceive. The bleed that occurs in the first week or so of treatment for an ectopic pregnancy is not your first period. It is the bleed that occurs in response to falling hormones associated with the lost pregnancy.
Statistically, the chances of having a future successful pregnancy are very good and 65% of women are healthily pregnant within 18 months of an ectopic pregnancy. Some studies suggest this figure rises to around 85% over 2 years. The time it takes to conceive and chances of conceiving depends on many factors such as the health of your Fallopian tube, age, your general and reproductive health and how often you have sex.
Detailed general information can be found here on our website. Please remember that online medical information is no substitute for expert medical care from your own healthcare team.
Below is a list of common questions that we are asked about trying to conceive. This page covers questions on timing, ovulation, lifestyle, testing, assisted conception, and pregnancy tests.
What Treatment Options Are There
If you are having trouble conceiving and suspect that scar tissue and adhesions may be playing a role, your doctor will investigate with ultrasound or a procedure called a hysterosalpingogram . This is a special x-ray, where contrast material is injected through a catheter in the cervix to the uterus as x-rays are taken. This way the doctor can see how the dye flows into the fallopian tubes and whether they are open or blocked. In some cases, the treatment may actually be another laparoscopic surgery. If you choose to undergo another laparoscopy, IVF may be your best course of treatment in this type of situation, as it bypasses the fallopian tubes entirely. After a course of ovarian stimulation with fertility medication, eggs are retrieved from the womans ovaries, then mixed with sperm in the lab, and the resulting embryos are then transferred directly into the uterus. IVF success rates for women under 40 with tubal scarring or other types of pelvic-factor infertility are usually excellent, as long as there are no other underlying or complicating infertility factors.
Also Check: Is It Safe To Take Tums While Pregnant
Cant Afford Tubal Reversal
Tubal reversal is not cheapbut it tubal reversal is way cheaper than a single IVF treatment!
Patients having tubal reversal with Dr. Monteith pay in full at the time of scheduling surgery. Dr. Monteith does offer 3 very unique ways to help patients afford tubal reversal surgery.
1. 3 year Reversal Prepayment Savings Account 2. Surgery financing with a third party company3. Free Tubal Reversal Surgery Contest
Dr Monteith A Personal Choice Raleigh NC
Reversal Prepayment Savings Account. This is a three year savings account. You can start the account with a minimum of $500. You must have surgery within 3 years of starting the account. You can make contributions towards your account at any time and of any amount.
Dr. Monteith offers exclusive discounts to RPA members when discounts are available. If you dont have surgery and close your account without having surgery then you are refunded your entire amount less a $500 RPA administration fee.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Fallopian Tube Removal
The biggest pros of fallopian tube removal have to do with health, particularly where disease prevention and pain reduction are concerned, while cons include reduced fertility and potentially serious side effects of surgery. Women who are at high risk of ovarian or breast cancer or who are prone to cysts and tumors often choose tube removal as a way of preventing problems later on. Except in situations where only part of the tube is removed, however, the surgery often greatly diminishes or eliminates the possibility of getting pregnant. Post-operative women also frequently experience a range or hormonal shifts and sometimes go through early menopause. Anyone considering tube removal should carefully weigh the pros and cons with a healthcare provider who can offer personalized advice.
Women who have already developed cancer may also want their tubes removed in order to stop the growths from further development. This is usually less effective the further advanced the disease is, as it tends to spread through the lymphatic tissues relatively quickly. In these cases the surgery can sometimes provide relief and a slowing of symptoms, but not necessarily a complete cure.
Preventing Hemorrhage
Fertility Issues
Hormone Imbalance
Also Check: How To Calculate Safe Period To Avoid Pregnancy
Tubal Reversal And Ablation: Advice On Getting Pregnant
In general pregnancy is not recommended after endometrial ablation because of the higher risk of pregnancy miscarriage, stillbirth, fetal growth problems, and higher risk deliveries.
Dr. Monteith does offer specially selected candidates with endometrial ablation tubal ligation reversal surgery because pregnancy is possible.
Pregnancy after ablation can be safe and successful in appropriately selected candidates.
Women considering reversal after a having endometrial ablation should educate themselves about the risks of becoming pregnant after endometrial ablation.
What Do I Need To Know About Conceiving After Tubal Surgery
This fact sheet was developed in collaboration with The Society of Reproductive Surgeons
Fallopian tubes connect the ovary to the uterus , where the fertilized egg develops into a baby . Fertilization is the joining of the egg and sperm and normally takes place in the fallopian tube. If fallopian tube is/are blocked or damaged, this can stop a woman from getting pregnant and increases the risk of becoming pregnant in the fallopian tube . Surgery may be performed to open or repair blocked or damaged tube.
Read Also: Can I Drink Breakfast Essentials While Pregnant
How To Get Ready For A Tubal Ligation
In the days before your tubal ligation surgery, talk to your doctor about any medication you might be taking, including herbal supplements and over-the-counter medications. You may have to discontinue their use, as some may increase bleeding or cause blood thinning. You should also tell the doctor if:
- Someone in your family has ever reacted to any anesthesia
- You smoke
Can You Get Pregnant If Your Tubes Are Tied
The chances are slim: about 1 in 1,000 after the first year and between 2-10 in 1,000 after 5 years. While most women can successfully have a tubal ligation, reversal so that you can intentionally become pregnant is not a guarantee. It requires enough healthy tissue on both ends of the tube for it to reconnect and open all the way through to function properly. Even then, 20% of women will have so much scar tissue that the flow of the tube is blocked. HSG is done again after a reversal to check for proper flow.
There is also a greater risk for ectopic pregnancy after a tubal reversal. Typically, a fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus in an ectopic pregnancy, it most often attaches in the fallopian tube. The pregnancy cannot proceed normally, and if left untreated it can be life threatening. After a tubal reversal, the risk for an ectopic pregnancy is about 10 to 20 percent.
So how likely is it to get pregnant after a tubal ligation? Ultimately, the success rate for pregnancy following a tubal reversal is about 40 percent in women under 37.
You May Like: Can I Use Vagisil Wash While Pregnant
Can I Get Pregnant Again After An Ectopic Pregnancy
Most women who have had an ectopic pregnancy can go on to have future successful pregnancies. There is a higher risk of having future ectopic pregnancies after you have had one. Its important to talk to your healthcare provider about the causes of your ectopic pregnancy and what risk factors you may have that could cause a future ectopic pregnancy.
Reasons For Getting A Tubal Ligation
Tubal ligation is mainly performed on a woman who is absolutely certain she does not want to have children in the future.
It also is performed for women who do not want more children and desire to lower the risk of tubal and ovarian cancer in the future, whether or not their family has a history of ovarian cancer. In those cases, the patient will have their whole tubes removed to lower their risk of developing ovarian and tubal cancer later on in life.
Also Check: Can I Drink Breakfast Essentials While Pregnant
What Happens During The Procedure
Just before open abdominal surgery, youll be given general anesthesia. The surgeon will make an incision a few inches long on your lower abdomen. The fallopian tubes can be seen and removed from this incision. Then, the opening will be closed with stitches or staples.
Laparoscopic surgery is a less invasive procedure. It may be performed under general or local anesthesia.
A tiny incision will be made in your lower abdomen. A laparoscope is a long tool with a light and camera on the end. It will be inserted into the incision. Your abdomen will be inflated with gas. This allows your surgeon to get a clear view of your pelvic organs on a computer screen.
Then a few additional incisions will be made. Theyll be used to insert other tools to remove the fallopian tubes. These incisions will likely be less than half an inch long. Once the tubes are out, the small incisions will be closed.
How Can The Damaged Tube/s Be Fixed
Success of surgery on tubes depends on where the tube is blocked and how severe the damage is. Different surgical techniques are used depending on the location of the tubal blockage. The goal of surgery is to open the tubal passage if possible by either removing scar tissue, creating a new opening in the outside of the tube , or opening up the tube from the inside .
If the blockage is at the end of the tube closest to the ovary, then surgery is performed either with:
- Laparoscopy
- Laparotomy .
- Both the surgeries are performed under anesthesia at the same time. If the tubal blockage is inside the tube closest to the uterus then hysteroscopy is used to place a tiny tube past the blockage. This is typically done along with laparoscopy .
Read Also: Can You Donate Plasma When Pregnant
The Bottom Line On Pregnancy After Tubal Sterilization
Tubal ligation is one of the most effective methods of permanent birth control. Especially if youre over the age of 34 and have the procedure done following childbirth, its doubtful that youll get pregnant again.
This form of birth control is also complicated to reverse. If you are young or have even the slightest question in your mind about getting pregnant in the future, choose another form of birth control. There are many options out there make sure you find the one thats right for you.
Do you have an experience or comment to share about sterilization? Share it with us in the comments below. Wed love to hear from you!
Pregnancy After Tubal Ligation
2020-02-23
If youve finished building your family, its common to take more permanent measures to prevent pregnancy. From having an IUD inserted to surgical procedures like a tubal ligation or male vasectomy, there are plenty of options. But what if your situation changes? If you decide that youd like to have another baby whether its to add to your own family or to help someone else as a gestational surrogate can you get pregnant after a tubal ligation? Read on for everything you need to know about conception and IVF after tubal ligation.
You May Like: Safe Days After Period Calculator
Having A Child After Hysterectomy
If you want to have children but you need a hysterectomy for medical reasons, it is possible for you to start a family. While you might be able to use your own eggs, you can’t carry the pregnancy yourself.
One option is to have your eggs harvested for future fertilization and surrogate implantation. Harvesting can be done before the surgery if your ovaries will be removed, or after surgery if your ovaries are to remain intact. While a surrogate will carry the child, it will be your biological child.
If egg harvesting is not possible or you do not wish to go that route, there are other options. A male partner may provide sperm for a surrogate pregnancy, either of a donor egg or the surrogate’s egg. A female partner may carry a pregnancy resulting from her egg being fertilized. You may also consider adopting a child as an alternative.
