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Pregnancy After Tubal
Ligation
Pregnancy after tubal ligation is possible even though it is very rare
and happens to very few women. Many women choose permanent
birth control when their families are complete, but that
doesn’t stop women from worrying about becoming pregnant
after tubal ligation.
If you’re concerned about the chances and the dangers of a
pregnancy after you've had a tubal ligation, be sure to educate
yourself about the issue.
What
Happens in a Tubal Ligation?
A tubal ligation is the surgical procedure wherein an obstetrician or
gynecologist removes the connectivity between the uterus and the
ovary. This is done so that the ovum (egg) cannot reach the
uterine tube that leads to the uterus. Additionally, the
severing and clamping of the uterine tube prevent the sperm from being
able to reach the ovum for fertilization.
How
often do they fail?
Tubal ligation is considered permanent birth control because of the
very low failure rate and the difficult restoring fertility, if a woman
decided she wanted to become pregnant. Though it is
considered permanent, sometimes there are pregnancies that occur after
the ligation is performed.
Tubal ligation failure rates are about 1.43% of women who have had
one. So, about 143 women in 10,000 become pregnant in the
first 10 years after the procedure. After 10 years, though,
the chance actually rises to 1.85%, which is still very rare.
It is assumed that in these failures the uterine tubes grow back
together enough to allow the egg to be fertilized. The
failure is more common in women who have had their tubal ligation
before the age of 30.
What
happens if I get pregnant after tubal ligation?
If you suspect that your tubal ligation has failed you need to see your
doctor. Some women who are experiencing what they perceive as
a late period, which could indicate pregnancy, might be having other
health issues or beginning menopause. If this is your case,
check with your doctor.
If your doctor does determine that you are pregnant, there are some
concerns surrounding pregnancy after tubal ligation. Women
who have had a tubal ligation are more likely to have an ectopic
pregnancy. This is a pregnancy wherein the embryo implants in
the uterine (or fallopian tube).
An ectopic pregnancy is more common in women who have had prior tubal
ligations because of the damage to the uterine tubes incurred when the
surgery was performed.
An ectopic pregnancy is the leading cause of death among pregnant women
in the first trimester. This happens because the uterine tube
is not designed to carry a pregnancy and
might rupture, causing infection, hemorrhage, and possibly
death.
If you think you might be pregnant after your tubal ligation, be sure
that you speak to your doctor immediately to rule out ectopic
pregnancy.
If your pregnancy has occurred in your uterus, the chances of carrying
the baby to term are as good as a woman who has no history of a tubal
ligation. Of course, if you want
to prevent pregnancies in the future, you need to use an alternative
form of birth control.
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