Pregnancy after Tubal Ligation

Many women wrongly assume that a tubal ligation is 100% certain method of preventing pregnancy, but it is not. A tubal ligation is considered permanent birth control, but there is still a margin of error, and you could become pregnant any time after having the procedure done. Of course, your chances of becoming pregnant are limited, but every woman that has had a tubal ligation needs to know that there is a slight possibility that when your period is weeks late that you really could be pregnant.

A tubal ligation really is one of the most effective forms of birth control, not because it’s 100%, but because it doesn’t take a pill each day at the same time to benefit from a consistent form of birth control. Unlike a birth control pill, you can’t forget to have your tubal ligation done. Many pregnancies happen on the pill because for it to be effective you have to take it just right, and there is no margin for human error. This means if you take your pill late or miss a pill, you could get pregnant. While there is a slight chance of pregnancy with a tubal ligation, it’s not because you’ve done anything wrong.

A recent study has estimated that 143 women in 10,000 get pregnant after a tubal ligation, making the percentage about 1.43% which is better coverage than you’ll likely get from other forms of birth control because of the human error. In these rare cases, the fallopian tubes often grow back together, allowing the egg to come down and be fertilized and then move into the uterus. Many of these pregnancies actually turn out to be ectopic pregnancies because of the damage done to the tube during a tubal ligation.

Ten years after a tubal ligation, the rate of pregnancy actually goes up slightly. The percentage of women that get pregnant after 10 years rises to 1.85%. This is an average, and you’ll find that most women do not get pregnant even after 10, 20, or even 30 years. Again, pregnancy after tubal ligation is rare.

There are a number of women that want to get pregnant after tubal ligation and hope that the small percentage will apply to them. If you have had a tubal ligation and you want to become pregnant, it may happen, but you’ll have better chances if you have a surgical procedure to reverse the tubal ligation. There is no guarantee that you’ll experience success after a reversal, but the ability to reverse a tubal ligation is there and it will dramatically increase your chances of becoming pregnant again.

Because there is no guarantee that you’ll ever become pregnant again after a tubal ligation, especially if you do not have a reversal done, you should think very hard about having the procedure done at all. You should be 100% sure that you do not want any more children, but remember that there is a small margin of error after you’ve had the procedure.

A tubal ligation is one of the best forms of birth control, though it is not 100% guaranteed. Most women find that it’s more convenient than taking the pill, even if there is a small risk of pregnancy after tubal ligation.

Each pregnancy, expectant mother, and unborn child is different. Your pregnancy may not progress the same as the information found here. The information here is based on the average pregnancy. It's not meant to be a replacement for any advice your may receive from your doctor. If you have any concerns about your pregnancy, we advise you to contact your doctor.