Can Women Get Pregnant With Tied Tubes?
By: Julie Fletcher
Preventing a pregnancy is a personal decision for each woman and not one method is perfect for everyone. There are a variety of choices available no matter what your age or personal medical history. You should check with your health care practitioner to discuss the many options that are open to you, whether you are looking for a reversible or a permanent form of birth control. If the process of having your tubes tied in order to prevent a pregnancy is an option for you, then there are some important aspects that you need to be aware of. Some will ask if you could still get pregnant with tied tubes and the answer is yes, but there are many circumstances that would contribute to a pregnancy after a tubal litigation.The process of a tubal litigation involves closing a woman’s fallopian tubes, either through cutting, burning or blocking the area with clips, rings or bands. Not only does this process keep an egg from travelling through the fallopian tube, but it also keeps the sperm from entering the tube in order to prevent a future pregnancy. Depending on the exact type of tubal litigation that you are considering or have already had completed, the rate of a future pregnancy can be anywhere from 1 in 3000 to approximately 1.8%. Typically this type of sterilization is 99.5% effective and is a procedure that many women find highly effective and easier to maintain than other birth control methods available.
The most common type of pregnancy that comes after a tubal litigation is an ectopic pregnancy. This happens when the egg becomes fertilized and plants itself inside of the woman in another area besides the uterus, generally in the area of the fallopian tubes, cervix or abdomen. The egg will continue to grow in size until it becomes large enough to be uncomfortable for the mother, causing pain. A fertilized egg in an ectopic pregnancy cannot receive the adequate nutrients it needs in order to continue to develop and grow into a full-term infant and cannot be relocated elsewhere in order to continue its growth and development. If you get pregnant with tied tubes in this case, the fertilized egg must be removed from the mother and can be done in different ways depending on your own medical condition.
In some cases for women where the fallopian tubes have been surgically severed, there have been known cases that specific sections will re-adhere and heal itself in order to become functional once again. This will allow the eggs to continue travelling to meet sperm in order for fertilization to occur. If you have had your tubes tied by using clips, rings or bands, it can be possible for them to come loose during the healing process after surgery therefore making the process not entirely effective. Scar tissue can heal improperly, leaving gaps or holes that will allow the egg and sperm to travel once again and you could get pregnant with tied tubes after all.