Can I Get Pregnant If I Had My Tubes Burned?

If you are considering having or have already had a tubal ligation, you may not know everything this surgery entails. This is a life-changing procedure, and it is important that you learn as much as you can about becoming pregnant before or after a tubal ligation. These things include the failure and success rate of the surgery, and your options for getting pregnant after the surgery.

Procedure

• A tubal ligation is a surgical procedure in which the fallopian tubes, are tied together, cut off and burnt at the end, to ensure that pregnancy does not occur. This is a major surgery, just as a c-section or gallbladder surgery is, and has its inherent risk, but it is considered a permanent method of birth control for those who are ready to stop having babies.

Failure Rate

• A tubal ligation is considered permanent birth control, boasting a 99.9 percent effectiveness rating. In general, the tubal ligation and vasectomy have the same failure rate. Pregnancy sometimes will happen because of errors in surgery, equipment failure or can just be the body reconnecting parts through a natural process.

Reversal

• It is possible to reverse the effects of a tubal ligation in some situations. However, reversing the damage done to the fallopian tubes does not guarantee that fertility will come back. Tubal reversal surgery is risky and complicated, as well---a consideration if there is a chance that you will want more children in the future.

Pregnancy Afterward

• The chances of the surgery just naturally reversing itself or not taking are slim. However, getting pregnant is still possible, though it can be quite costly and sometimes dangerous. In vitro fertilization is one option for women who have had the tubal procedure and want a child afterward. In this procedure, the egg is removed from the ovary and placed directly into the uterus for fertilization, bypassing the tied and burned tubes altogether. Trying to get pregnant through intercourse after a tubal ligation will likely be a fruitless effort.

Expert Insight

• Talk with your doctor if you are worried about or are considering attempting to get pregnant after having a tubal surgery. Your doctor may be able to refer you to a surgeon to help you in considering a reversal, or refer you to a fertility clinic to discuss in vitro fertilization. A doctor should help you make the decision to get a tubal in the first place, as well as your options for getting pregnant afterward.