His and Her Health

i have had my tubes ties for 5 years now and i recently started taking ditropan to help control my overactive bladder. my period is very late should i really be worried about getting pregnant after 5 years. Is it even possible to get pregnant after having this procedure down.

Hello Melisa-

The chance of pregnancy after a properly performed tubal ligation is low, but not zero. Recent studies put the odds at 1 or 2 %, probably due to small tears forming in the area of surgery on the tubes, big enough for sperm to get out and find an egg (they are, after all, quite determined). Many other more common causes exist for late periods, like stress, "functional" cysts of the ovaries, and simple late ovulation. To be on the safe side, it's best to get a pregnancy test in a situation like this. Be aware that pregnancies after sterilization surgery are more likely to be ectopic, that is, outside their normal location. Tubal or ectopic pregnancies can be a surgical emergency.