Pregnancy After Tubal Ligation: Is It Possible?

Question
I am 26 years old and have 3 girls, I am not late at all, just want to ask a question. Your website is the first to tell me that it is basically impossible to get pregnant after a tubal ligation. I have read that after 5 years of a tubal ligation, and you were very fertal before your tubal ligation, it is possible to become pregnant after 5 years. Is that true? My baby girl will be 5 the first week of January. I had my tubes clamped. Does that make a difference?  

Answer
Depending on the method of tubal ligation, the "damaged" area of the tube (where it was tied, ligated, cauterized, or clamped) undergoes necrosis. The sperm CANNOT travel through the fallopian tube and fertilize the ovum (egg), which lies at the end of the tube. The only way to re=establish the capacity to become pregnant is to have surgery to reverse the tubal ligation. This is done by excising the portion of each tube that was destroyed (or clamped, or tied) and rejoining the "good" portions of the tube in order to establish an open tube. A tubal ligation is permanent and does not become ineffective after 5 years. It does not return to normal and re-open. It is not a method of birth control. Tubal ligation is a method of sterilization.