Answered by: Dr Jean Amy | Professor and Head, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,
School of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Hospital,
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels
Q: I was wondering if I could be pregnant inspite of a tubal ligation done by Filshie clips? Last month my period was due around the 10th and I was 19 days late for it. I finally got what I think was my period on the 29th, but it was not heavy like a normal period and I did not lose any blood clots and it only lasted 3 or 4 days. It was bright pink in colour. I had dizziness, fatigue and nausea. This month I was supposed to start around the 10th again but I have not yet started my period at all. I get cramps but I have no other signs of my period. I also had cramps last month along the time I was suppose to start. What are the chances of me getting pregnant with a tubal ligation consisting of Filshie clips? I have taken 3 home pregnancy tests which all have been negative. What is my chances of being pregnant? I am 26 years old and I had my tubal ligation done five years back.
A:Everything can fail. Tubal sterilization also does, even several years after it was carried out. The symptoms you described are comparable to those of a woman suffering from an extra-uterine pregnancy (pregnancy that develops in the tube, rather than in the womb). The fact that the three pregnancy tests were negative is obviously reassuring, but it may be that the tests were insufficiently sensitive. Of course, the delay in menstruating and the other symptoms you mentioned could have been due to some other, yet undetermined cause. I should advise you to have an ultrasound of the uterus (womb), Fallopian tubes, and ovaries. If this examination does not reveal any anomaly, you might consider to submit yourself to a hysterosalpingography (series of radiographs taken after injection of a radio-opaque dye in the uterus) to ascertain that the Fallopian tubes are not patent (that is : are still correctly closed by the Filshie clips). I sincerely hope that everything turns out well.
If you’re like most women, you probably take your period for granted. It arrives every month, you get annoyed that you have to deal with it, and then you go about your life. You’ve had your period for a solid chunk of your life—you know the drill. So when your period doesn't show up at it's regularly scheduled time, it can be a little jarring for some—and downright terrifying for others.
If you’re sexually active, you’ll probably take a pregnancy test at this point. But if it’s negative, you’re right back where you started. What is happening?
Before you freak out, know this: It’s pretty normal to miss a period at some point in your life, and it can happen for a variety of reasons. “Our periods can be a hormonal barometer, telling us if we are in sync with our body,” Sherry Ross, M.D., an ob/gyn and women's health expert, and author of She-ology: The Definitive Guide to Women’s Intimate Health. Period., tells SELF. “It’s very common for many medical and life circumstances to affect this balance and make a woman miss a period.”
If you take a pregnancy test and it's negative, consider if any of the following factors could be to blame.
Stress, travel, sickness, extreme weight loss, rigorous exercise, and even certain medications (like steroids and antipsychotics) can screw with your cycle, says Dr. Ross. “Pretty much anything can throw your period off,” Lauren Streicher, M.D., an associate professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, tells SELF. And if you’re breastfeeding or recently stopped nursing, that can also mess with your period, Dr. Streicher says, since it takes your body a little time to get back on a regular cycle.
While your missed period could just be due to a random reason, it could also be a sign of one of several underlying conditions, like polycystic ovary syndrome, celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, or a thyroid disorder, Christine Greves, M.D., a board-certified ob/gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies, tells SELF.
So, as much as you want to know WTF is happening, your doctor will probably just tell you to wait it out and see if you get your period the following month.
During this time, Greves recommends keeping a menstrual diary and writing down any bleeding or spotting you notice. “Trends are everything in medicine,” she explains. If your period starts up again the next month with no issues, awesome—you can just talk to your ob/gyn about things next time you go in. If it’s still a little off, you’ve got more info to give to your doctor.
While you're waiting for that period to show, it couldn't hurt to abstain from drinking and taking another pregnancy test after a week, just in case, Dr. Greves says.
If after a month there's still no period, then your doctor will want you to come in to make sure everything is OK down there. As we already mentioned, this could be a sign of an underlying health condition, in which case your doctor can run some tests to see what's going on. Still, “the majority of the time there is nothing to worry about and your body will quickly reset without a trip to a doctor,” says Dr. Ross.
If you're experiencing any odd symptoms—or if you're really concerned that you might be pregnant—there's no shame in seeing your doctor.
If you missed your period and you’re experiencing pain, a fever, or just feel lousy, then you shouldn’t wait to be seen, Dr. Streicher says. But again, missing your period isn't a reason to panic. “There’s a high likelihood that there’s nothing serious going on, but if it goes on for several months, get it checked out,” she says.