QuestionWell tubal ligation was performed on me about 3yrs ago, they were cut and tied. My cycles have been monthly a week late a the most.My last cycle was around 09/13/07 Oct no cycle and so far Nov no cycle. For the past 3-4 weeks I have been experiencing all of the pregnancy symptoms.I took a HPT on 10/26/07 the results was invalid. This has never happened. Could I be pregnant, what type of test should I take. If I am i figure I would be 2 mos, should I be feeling like pressure not heavy in the lower part of my ab.
AnswerDear "wondering",
Occasionally a woman can still get pregnant, despite having had her tubes tied properly. The tubes can evolve in such a way as to try to heal themselves, and sometimes a tract develops that allows egg and sperm to meet. Tubal ligation, regardless of whether the tubes are cut, burned, clipped, banded, or tied, is about 99% effective, meaning that about 1% of women will conceive an unplanned pregnancy after tubal ligation. This failure occurs slightly more frequently in younger women.
Symptoms which are typically associated with early pregnancy (breast tenderness/swelling, headache, nausea, fatigue, backache, etc,...) are basically hormonally related and can also be related to hormone fluctuations within our cycles. That is why it is so difficult to "diagnose" a pregnancy based on symptoms alone.
Most popular HPTs work in a similar way. The majority tell the user to hold a stick in the urine stream. Others involve collecting urine in a cup and then dipping the stick into it. At least one brand tells the woman to collect urine in a cup and then put a few drops into a special container with a dropper. Testing the urine first thing in the morning will give a more accurate reading because it is more concentrated.
In a 2004 study, researchers tested the accuracy of 18 HPTs sold in retail stores. They found that only one brand consistently detected the low levels of hCG usually present on the first day of the missed period. This was the 'First Response, Early Result Pregnancy Test'. The other tests missed up to 85% of pregnancies on the first day of the missed period. However, most tests accurately confirmed pregnancies one week after the missed period.
To be absolutely sure, you can go to your doctor's office and get a quantitative blood pregnancy test (serum beta hCG). That test will give an actual amount of hCG in the bloodstream rather than just a positive/negative result.
I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.
Brenda
