Hi,
You're right, it is extremely unlikely that you can be pregnant with a tubal ligation; the risk of getting pregnant after sterilization is "about 1 in 100 over a 10-year period" (according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists).
Assuming your period is "only" 3 days late (if your period started on February 28th, remember it was a short month. Today is March 31st, so on a perfect 28-day cycle, it would have started 3 days ago, but something as little as stress can cause an "irregular" cycle), it is not too much to worry about right now. Women with even the most perfect cycles start their periods a few days late once-in-a-while. A home pregnancy test may detect a pregnancy, once your period is late. (March 26th may have been too early to detect a pregnancy with a home pregnancy test, if your last menstrual period began February 28th).
Do you remember the date(s) you had intercourse, as that could be another piece to the puzzle.
Just to cover all of our bases, you are at a higher risk for an ectopic pregnancy after having your tubes "tied". Home pregnancy tests may/may not work in detecting an ectopic pregnancy, as there may not be enough of the "pregnancy hormone" (human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG), but this hormone is only produced when a woman is pregnant, and hCG is produced with an ectopic pregnancy...just in lower amounts.
As far as having an ectopic pregnancy, do you have any of these symptoms:
- tender breasts or an upset stomach. (Some women may have no symptoms at all).
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding. It may be light or heavy.
- Abdominal or pelvic pain. This can be sudden and sharp and ache without relief or seem to come and go. It may occur on only one side.
A call to your doctor's office would be suggested, if you do not get your period this week, just to put your mind at ease, and make sure everything is OK, whether or not the pregnancy test says "negative".
Please write back and let me know how you are doing!
Comment Reply
Hi,
You're right, it is extremely unlikely that you can be pregnant with a tubal ligation; the risk of getting pregnant after sterilization is "about 1 in 100 over a 10-year period" (according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists).
Assuming your period is "only" 3 days late (if your period started on February 28th, remember it was a short month. Today is March 31st, so on a perfect 28-day cycle, it would have started 3 days ago, but something as little as stress can cause an "irregular" cycle), it is not too much to worry about right now. Women with even the most perfect cycles start their periods a few days late once-in-a-while. A home pregnancy test may detect a pregnancy, once your period is late. (March 26th may have been too early to detect a pregnancy with a home pregnancy test, if your last menstrual period began February 28th).
Do you remember the date(s) you had intercourse, as that could be another piece to the puzzle.
Just to cover all of our bases, you are at a higher risk for an ectopic pregnancy after having your tubes "tied". Home pregnancy tests may/may not work in detecting an ectopic pregnancy, as there may not be enough of the "pregnancy hormone" (human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG), but this hormone is only produced when a woman is pregnant, and hCG is produced with an ectopic pregnancy...just in lower amounts.
As far as having an ectopic pregnancy, do you have any of these symptoms:
- tender breasts or an upset stomach. (Some women may have no symptoms at all).
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding. It may be light or heavy.
- Abdominal or pelvic pain. This can be sudden and sharp and ache without relief or seem to come and go. It may occur on only one side.
A call to your doctor's office would be suggested, if you do not get your period this week, just to put your mind at ease, and make sure everything is OK, whether or not the pregnancy test says "negative".
Please write back and let me know how you are doing!
March 31, 2009 - 12:07pmThis Comment
Reply