Pregnancy after laparoscopy

Pregnancy is a natural and expected process in the female body. However, not all women are lucky enough to get pregnant at the first attempt at conception: many have to wait months and even years to become a mother. The reproductive system is a very complex mechanism that can fail under certain circumstances. Often, women are forced to resort to various methods of modern medicine to bring the long-awaited moment closer - for example, many manage to successfully get pregnant after laparoscopy. However, laparoscopic intervention is prescribed for strict indications, and, in addition, the very fact of pregnancy after laparoscopy raises many questions among patients. We hope that we will be able to answer the most common of them.

Pregnancy Statistics After Laparoscopy: What Are the Chances of Getting Pregnant?

If we consider the available statistical information, then among all patients who, for one reason or another, underwent laparoscopic surgery, pregnancy occurred during the first monthly cycle in every fifth woman. About 15% of the operated patients were unable to become pregnant even 12 months after laparoscopic intervention, and about 85% of women achieved the long-awaited pregnancy within a year.

If the expected pregnancy after laparoscopy did not occur within 12 months, then women often agreed to a repeat operation. Many gynecologists point out that the longer the period of time after laparoscopy, the less chance a woman has of becoming pregnant. Therefore, if pregnancy does not occur within a year, then it is necessary to:

• perform a repeat laparoscopy;
• resort to other assisted reproductive techniques.

When can you plan a pregnancy after laparoscopy?

A method such as laparoscopy is considered one of the least traumatic surgical interventions, however, this procedure can also temporarily disrupt some functions of the body. As with any other surgical manipulation, the patient may need some time for the functional capacity of all organs and systems to be restored.

Regardless of how long a woman spent in hospital - 2-3 days or a week, the body will definitely be weakened after the operation, so it will be difficult for it to immediately "rush into battle". And, although the functional capabilities of the female reproductive system usually normalize within a week, experts do not advise engaging in intimate relationships for at least another 4 weeks.

Optimally, according to doctors, pregnancy after laparoscopy occurs 90 days after the laparoscopic intervention: this period is quite sufficient for external and internal tissue damage to heal and for hormonal balance to stabilize.

It is necessary to separately indicate the following cases:

• if laparoscopy was performed due to an ectopic pregnancy or fibroids, the woman is allowed to start planning no earlier than six months after the intervention;
• If during laparoscopy the surgeon removed a large number of dense adhesions, then it is better to delay the onset of pregnancy for six months;
• If laparoscopy was performed due to malignant tumors, then pregnancy should be waited for at least a year.

How long does it take to get pregnant after laparoscopy?

What are the chances of getting pregnant for patients who have been prescribed laparoscopy? When can one "count on" successful conception?

After laparoscopy, as after any other operation, it is impossible to give an unambiguous guarantee that pregnancy will occur in the nearest future. The fact is that women come to the procedure with different diagnoses, have different indications and contraindications, so it is very difficult to answer the above questions unambiguously. However, it is possible to make a preliminary prognosis, depending on the reason for which the woman underwent laparoscopy.

• Pregnancy after laparoscopy of the fallopian tubes can be expected no earlier than 90 days after the procedure. The same applies to cases where the operation was caused by obstruction of the fallopian tubes (as a variant of peritoneal-tubal infertility). Why should you wait so long - three months? During a laparoscopic examination of the fallopian tubes and removal of adhesions that make it impossible for the egg to move, the tissues need to recover. As a rule, the tubes remain swollen for some time after the intervention, and recover gradually. In addition, the whole body needs rest - the hormonal background, immune protection, and menstrual cycle must recover. Of course, you should not arrange too long a period of rest either, since over time the chances of successful conception decrease. However, there is no need to rush: with swollen, not fully restored tubes, there is a high risk of developing an ectopic pregnancy.
• Pregnancy after laparoscopy of an ovarian cyst is theoretically possible after 1-1.5 months. But doctors do not recommend rushing in this situation either: it is optimal if pregnancy after laparoscopy of the ovaries occurs after 3-6 months. Despite the fact that the surgeon carries out the enucleation of the cyst quite carefully, there are still small damages to healthy tissues on the ovary, which must have time to regenerate before pregnancy occurs. If the ovaries do not have time to recover, then in the future certain problems with the process of bearing a child are possible.
• Pregnancy after laparoscopy for polycystic ovary syndrome should be planned as soon as the doctor allows sexual activity. The fact is that polycystic ovary syndrome occurs with the formation of numerous cysts in the ovaries, and after a laparoscopic procedure, reproductive capacity is restored for a relatively short time (usually no more than 12 months). In order not to lose the chance to get pregnant, a woman should start planning - the sooner the better. It is optimal to start planning 1-1.5 months after laparoscopy, regardless of the laparoscopic method used to perform the operation (cauterization, decortication, or wedge resection).
• The next pregnancy after laparoscopy of ectopic pregnancy should not be planned for at least six months after the procedure. And regardless of how exactly the operation was performed: by removing the tube or by enucleating the ovum while preserving the tube. Why? The fact is that the woman still had a pregnancy, albeit an ectopic one. This means that the hormonal level was brought to a state of readiness for the development and strengthening of the embryo. Now, after laparoscopy, it is necessary for the hormonal balance to return to the "original" one, as it was before the ectopic pregnancy. Otherwise, the future pregnancy may be in question.
• It is recommended to plan pregnancy after laparoscopy of endometriosis no earlier than 90 days after the procedure. If after the intervention the doctor prescribes hormonal therapy, then planning is “postponed” until its completion. This applies to both cases of removal of endometriosis foci and laparoscopic removal of endometrioid cysts.
• Pregnancy after laparoscopy of myoma with removal of myomatous formations and preservation of the uterine organ is usually planned after 6-7 months. After laparoscopy, the uterus should "rest", tissues - regenerate, and the ovaries - establish their function. As a rule, for six months from the moment of laparoscopy, the patient is prescribed oral contraceptives. In addition, she periodically undergoes ultrasound to monitor the state of the reproductive system after surgery. If these recommendations are ignored and pregnancy is allowed to develop earlier than the permissible period, then a rupture of the uterine tissue at the site of scar formation can be provoked. This is a very serious complication, which often ends with the removal of the uterus.

Signs of pregnancy after laparoscopy

Signs that a woman has managed to conceive a child after laparoscopy are the same as during a normal pregnancy:

• absence of menstruation, provided that it resumed after laparoscopy;
• pulling sensations in the lower abdomen (some women may experience lower back pain);
• increase in basal temperature indicators;
• slight tension in the mammary glands (like during menstruation);
• mood changes (both unexplained cheerfulness and drowsiness may occur);
• change in culinary preferences;
• heightened sense of smell.

In order to be absolutely sure that pregnancy has occurred after laparoscopy, it is necessary to take a blood test for hCG, or use a regular test strip to determine pregnancy.

Pregnancy in the first cycle after laparoscopy

Despite the fact that doctors do not particularly recommend rushing into pregnancy immediately after laparoscopy, theoretically conception can occur in the first cycle after the operation. Each woman has her own body characteristics, and the recovery period is also different for everyone. It is possible that in some patients, reproductive function normalizes after the first ovulation.

However, it is not recommended to become pregnant immediately after an ectopic pregnancy or removal of a myomatous tumor. Although, if laparoscopy was performed for endometriosis or polycystic disease, then pregnancy in the first cycle after surgery is the best option.

There is only one conclusion to be made on this issue: each case is individual, so it is better to consult with your doctor.

Pregnancy with one fallopian tube after laparoscopy

Is it possible to get pregnant if one of the fallopian tubes was removed during laparoscopy? It all depends on how timely the laparoscopy was performed, as well as on the condition of the second remaining tube.

If laparoscopy was late and the fertilized egg managed to rupture the oviduct, it is removed, which significantly complicates the onset of further pregnancies, since only one tube remains. However, a huge number of women after removal of the oviduct retain the ability to reproduce: they manage to get pregnant, and even more than once. The main condition is the presence of a healthy passable second tube with a normally functioning ovary.

Unfortunately, according to statistics, women over 35 have much less chance of getting pregnant with one fallopian tube, since with age the capabilities of the ovary decrease, endometriosis and adhesions may appear, as well as other chronic pathologies of the genital area. In such a situation, women often resort to the procedure of in vitro fertilization (IVF), in which it is possible to get pregnant even if the remaining tube is completely blocked.

Before planning a pregnancy with one fallopian tube, it is important to remember that in such a situation the risk of developing a repeated ectopic pregnancy increases significantly. Therefore, if a woman becomes pregnant with one fallopian tube, she needs special supervision by a gynecologist, with constant monitoring of hCG and ultrasound.

Pregnancy after laparoscopy and hysteroscopy

Many patients after combined endoscopic surgery - laparoscopy and hysteroscopy, worry about the possibility of getting pregnant. Doctors reassure: there is no need to worry too much, since both methods in most cases only contribute to the onset of pregnancy, as they help to detect and eliminate serious problems that have led to infertility. Laparoscopy with hysteroscopy is performed for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Such intervention methods are especially recommended for infertility of unclear genesis, when other studies do not allow to establish a clear reason why a woman cannot get pregnant.

When can you start planning after such a complex procedure?

After the operation, it is necessary to take a break from sexual relations for about 3-4 weeks. After that, sexual intercourse is allowed with the use of contraceptives. Unless the attending physician thinks otherwise, most women who have undergone the operation are allowed to become pregnant 2-3 months after the intervention.

After an abortion, laparoscopy, when can pregnancy occur?

After an abortion and laparoscopy, you should abstain from sexual intercourse for four weeks, until the next monthly cycle. If you start having sex before the recommended time, you are unlikely to get pregnant, but the risk of developing inflammatory processes in the genital area increases sharply.

In the future, pregnancy may occur starting with a new monthly cycle.

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Frozen pregnancy after laparoscopy

The probability of a frozen pregnancy in patients after laparoscopy is no higher than in those who did not undergo the operation. There can be many reasons for this, and all of them are varied. For example, a frozen pregnancy is possible if conception occurred too early, when the hormonal balance has not yet been restored after laparoscopy. Other possible reasons may be:

• chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus;
• infectious diseases in women, including chlamydia, toxoplasmosis, herpes;
• alcohol consumption and/or smoking;
• taking certain medications;
• Rhesus conflict;
• external causes (lifting weights, excessive physical exertion, long trips, etc.).

Often women who have undergone laparoscopy and a frozen pregnancy experience fear before further planning of conception. Many begin to doubt their ability to have children in the future.

Doctors unambiguously recommend: there is no need to worry, since the vast majority of women subsequently become pregnant and give birth to a child normally. Only in the case of repeated episodes of frozen pregnancies can one suspect a loss of reproductive capacity.

Normal pregnancy after laparoscopy occurs in 85% of patients - and this is a fairly high figure. However, doctors insist: it is necessary to start planning a pregnancy within the first year after the operation - it is during this period that the chances of getting pregnant are the highest.