| Every year in the United States many women have | | | | one of the fallopian tubes and doesn't close it all. The |
| a procedure called a tubal ligation. This is commonly | | | | tube could also form a new opening called fistula. |
| referred to as having your tubes tied and involves | | | | Finally, a process called recanalization can occur where |
| the severing of the fallopian tubes in some way. | | | | the tubes rejoin. |
| There are several different ways of doing the | | | | While most women who have a tubal ligation do not |
| procedure including cutting, cauterizing and even | | | | wish to get pregnant again, there are some women |
| clipping the fallopian tubes in an effort to prevent the | | | | who actually do want to get pregnant after having |
| egg from traveling from the ovary into the uterus to | | | | their tubes tied. For these women, the only answer |
| be fertilized. The procedure is considered to be a | | | | they may receive from their doctor is that they can |
| permanent form of female sterilization although some | | | | have in vitro fertilization done. However, the process |
| women still wonder if it's possible to get pregnant | | | | of IVF is extremely expensive as it must be done |
| after tubal ligation. | | | | cycle after cycle until the couple becomes pregnant |
| In some rare instances, accidental pregnancy after | | | | or gives up. One cycle of IVF can be $10,000-$12,000 |
| tubal ligation is certainly possible. Although the | | | | or more. |
| procedure is considered to be a very effective form | | | | Another option that many women are finding to be |
| of birth control for women, pregnancies can still occur | | | | better is called tubal reversal surgery. Having a tubal |
| after the fallopian tubes have been blocked. As with | | | | ligation reversed is definitely possible for many |
| any type of birth control methods, there are failure | | | | women depending upon their age, type of tubal |
| rates such that pregnancy can occur in up to 2% of | | | | ligation done and the remaining lengths of their tubes. |
| cases. | | | | The procedure is permanent, doesn't require monthly |
| One way that a woman can potentially get pregnant | | | | hormone injections and is a lot less expensive than in |
| after tubal ligation is if the doctor accidentally misses | | | | vitro fertilization. |