For those who don’t know my story, I’ll summarize it. I have 3 children and, when my youngest was born, we paid the doctor to perform a tubal ligation, since I had many problems during pregnancy. Problems related to blood pressure and bed rest to avoid eclampsia. Anyway, it was tough, and as my doctor said, I was lucky to reach 40 weeks with my blood pressure under control.
Procedure
During the delivery, he performed a Salpingectomy1—what a mouthful! This means he removed my fallopian tubes instead of just tying them. Tying the tubes was previously used as a permanent contraceptive method. So, if a woman decided to become fertile again, it was just a matter of untying the tube for things to go back to normal.
In the operating room, I saw the tubes in his hands and asked him to show them to me. But what is the point of this post? Whenever I say I’ve had a tubal ligation, people warn me to be careful because they know someone who got pregnant even after the sterilization surgery. Doing some research, I found answers to questions that came to my mind, and I confess I was a little scared for a while.
Can I Get Pregnant Even After Tubal Ligation?
Yes! There’s no 100% guarantee that the surgery won’t come undone or, in the case of cutting the tubes, that they won’t regenerate2. If you have a tubal ligation done when you’re very young, there’s a risk the surgery won’t work. Not because of medical mistake, but because your body might partially regenerate the tubes, allowing sperm to meet the egg. Of course, this is not very common or easy, but there is a risk!
When I chose to have the surgery, I talked a lot with my doctor, who assured me this was the safest method in my case, but that I should be careful in the first year, since the surgery was still very recent. After that, the chance is practically zero, but there’s still a small risk.
And for those thinking I’m scaring moms who have already had the surgery, here’s some relief: 99% of post-ligation pregnancies happen in cases where the tube was tied, not cut. And if you’re in a risk group, it’s a good idea to see your doctor and discuss your specific situation.
Reversing Tubal Ligation3
But if your situation is the opposite of mine and you regret having the surgery, the most important thing is to find out what type of surgery was done. In the case of a cut, the best option is in vitro fertilization; if the tubes were tied, reversal is totally possible. However, it’s a microscopic and complex procedure performed by only a few doctors. It can be successful, but does not always work. To further increase your chances of conception, it’s also recommended to take vitamins that prepare your body for pregnancy. For example, FamiPré is a multivitamin with the essential vitamins and minerals for conceiving and maintaining a healthy pregnancy, and you can find it here at our online store.
Good luck!
