Pregnancy after hysterectomy

[Mattox]

I am looking for some answers on pregnancy after hysterectomy. I had a hysterectomy 2 years ago where they left my left ovary. Do you think there is a chance of getting pregnant? I really want another child. Had hysterectomy due to ectopic pregnancy & endometritis. Any stories on this or comments would be appreciated. Wish me luck!!!!!!!

[siren of the sea]

ok if you had your uterus removed, where is the baby going to grow?? are you talking about having a surrogate?

[anxiousmomtobe?]

Hire a surogate, without a uterus you can't carry a baby.

[thendricks]

I agree, I'm sorry for your situation, but without an uterus you can't carry the baby.

[Mattox]

I have read alot of cases where the baby was attached either to a ovary or the abdomin (abdomen) wall & has survived. I will pray & keep hopeing that I have the baby that I want. I have all the symptoms of being preganant the same as when I had my daughter 8 years ago.

[stephd]

I dont think that you can get pregnant without a uterus!  I have never heard of the baby implanting on the ovary or anywhere else and surviving.  I think if that was the case then there would be LOTS of women out there falling preggo after a hyster!!

[siren of the sea]

no you cant do that. there is no way. by trying to have a baby this way i fear you might have an ectopic. please talk to your dr before you even think its possible. sorry. interesting.

[siren of the sea]

if you by chance are pg, you HAVE  to go to the dr or er immediately! an ectopic pg is life threatning. please dont mess with that.

[sk2006a]

do you think you're pg, or just wanting to be?  i'm sorry, but there just isn't any way for you to carry a child.

[Mattox]

I am not sure if I am but I have the swoolen breast filling with milk, the left side of my stomache is harder than my right, I have gained 40 lbs in a month and my mood swings could cause someone bodily harm. I have also been craving rootbeer popsicles & ice chips which is what I craved with my other nine pregnancies. i also feel movement on the left side and have for about the last week and a half. yes I am scared but I will not let them take another baby from me.

[siren of the sea]

mattox i dont mean to be rude but i think you need a dr and now. for several reasons. to gain 40 pounds in one month could be a serious health problem. you do understand that without a uterus there can be no pregnancy. who took your baby? what  do you mean? are you on medications for emotional symptoms? sweety i think you do need to find a dr and today. good luck.

[stephd]

If you gained 40 lbs in a month then I would say you have serious problems.  That is highly unlikely.  If you are preggo (Which you should take a test) then you should go to the dr IMMEDIATELY!  It can be life threatening.  How do you know your bbs have milk in them?  You dont even get AF after a hysterectomy so I dont see how you could be preggo.  I think you're living in a fantasy world!!  Get a surrogate and if you do then I say good luck.  Other than that i dont!!

[mslkpage]

No, there have been NO cases of an embryo attaching to an ovary or to the abdominal wall and surviving. Those are both forms of ectopic pregnancies, and they simply will not survive. Search all you want, but you will not find a case where a pregnancy was carried to term outside of the uterus.

They symptoms you're describing sound like a phantom pregnancy.

[sk2006a]

you've had nine pregnancies??? wow,that's a lot.  as for gaining 40 pounds in one months, pregnancy wouldn't cause that kind of weight gain.  you need to be evaluated by a physician.  good luck :)

[JLK0707]

I really think you need to see a doctor.  Those symptoms sound to me like a sign of a problem.  You can't get pregnant without a uterus...there is no where to carry a baby.  There are some conditions that can cause your estrogen level to rise (since you still have an ovary) and they could give you some of those symptoms.  Get to the doctor right away...I can't stress that enough.

[Mattox]

no I am not on meds I am perfectly fine. I have done research & it is possible to get pregnant with out a uteris. All you need is an ovary to get pregnant as long as it has a place to attach it can survive. Do some research before you start makeing accusations that I am crazy or living in a fantasy world. The doctors took my last baby because they were not sure if it would live. they never even gave the baby a chance. I was two months along and it had a heart beat that you could hear with the machine they use when you go to the obgyn.

[JJety]

"I have read alot of cases where the baby was attached either to a ovary or the abdomin (abdomen) wall & has survived."

I'm sorry, but that is absolutely untrue.  If a fertilized egg attaches to an ovary or abdominal wall it is considered an ectopic pregnancy and never ever survives.  You'd die trying to have that baby.  Without a uterus you simply cannot carry a baby.  

With your ovaries, you can produce eggs, which would be harvested and IVF would be needed.  The fertilized egg would be implanted in a surrogate mother's uterus to grow.  That is the only way.  I'm sorry, honey.  I can see that your hopes were high.

[siren of the sea]

my jaw is actually dropped! i am amazed at the fact you feel you can carry a baby. you are not pg. you need some evaluating. nobody can take your baby without your permission. nobody. how would a placenta develope and where would it attach to? im sorry you really need some education on this.

[JJety]

"as long as it has a place"

That place can only be a uterus in order to survive.  The placenta would have no where to attach to get nutrients for the baby.  It is simply not possible, any doctor will tell you so.  I'm sorry.

[mslkpage]

Not possible, and I'm really glad you do not have a uterus.

[JJety]

I'm guessing she had an ectopic pregnancy and removed it.  I bet that's what she means by they "took" it.

[siren of the sea]

i guess i should have realized that not everyone knows there are false sites with false info on the net. maybe that is where you researched the pg without a uterus? im sorry if i was frank but i am really worried that something might be wrong. call your ob/gyne and discuss this with them. they will give you the truth.

[siren of the sea]

we all want what is best for you. we care. we can only help so much with this being a computer and all. did you take a pg test?

[Mattox]

it doesn't matter. when I find out what is going on I'll let you know!

[sk2006a]

the doctor ended your ectopic pregnancy because (1) the baby would not grow to term and (2) it would have killed you.  sailors wife is right - there is a lot of bad information on the net.  please make an appointment and listen to your doctor, not a website.

[siren of the sea]

please do. im very curious.

[luv_babies]

PLEASE don't think I am sticking up for her in any way or saying that this can be done BUT I have a ?. I was watching Discovery health channel about this woman that was pregnant with twins and after an ultrasound for heavy bleeding they found she had an ectopic that attached to the bottom of her uterus. All three babies survived. I think of the discovery health channel as reputable for information. This happend in the UK. Is it possible that the story is false? Again, I am NOT saying that someone without a uterus can have a baby, I am just curious. I am sure if that story is true, there aren't any (let alone many) like it.

[sk2006a]

for it to have been covered on the discovery channel would say something about how incredibly rare it must have been

[siren of the sea]

lets just say that show was true. what do you think the percentage it really happening would be? like 1 in 2.5 million? it would give her false hope and the reality is you would hear about it lots more if it is possible.

[mslkpage]

The only thing I can think of is if the doctor was able to surgically move that embryo into the uterus. That could be a slim possibility since it was developing on the bottom of the uterus.

[luv_babies]

I agree 100%. I was just asking. If she gets false hope from one EXTREMLY rare story, then there's nothing we can do for her. Didn't know if you all knew something about it that I didn't. I don't know where she is finding "tons" of information about ectopic pregnancies surviving, I have been searching and have yet to find one.

[mslkpage]

I did find this on medicinet.com:

"Although there have been reported cases of women giving birth by cesarean section to live infants that were located outside the uterus, this is extremely rare. The chance of carrying an ectopic pregnancy to full term is so remote, and the risk to the woman so great, that it cannot be recommended. It would be ideal if an ectopic pregnancy in the fallopian tube could be saved by surgery to relocate it into the uterus. This concept has yet to become a successful procedure."

[JLK0707]

There is enough information (both true and otherwise)on the internet that if you really want to prove to yourself that something is possible you usually can...it's just a matter of whether or not you are using reputable sources and getting valid information.  In this case I think most of the sources might not be so reputable.

[HIS GIFT TO US]

I seen on TV where a woman had a baby boy that was outside of her uterus, baby & her were both fine, but this is very rare so like some have already posted while it is possible it's also risky for u & the baby & very rare that a baby would survive!

[jayme3]

I can believe what i just read.  When you have a your uterus removed they sew up the area.  There is no way that you can get pregnant.  They leave your tubes there for hormonal reasons only.  That is just unbelievable that one could even think that pregnancy is possible.  If that was the case, more people would get pregnant after the surgery.  I'm sorry that you are feeling a loss due to not being able to concieve anymore but honestly, be realistic.

[debmejia]

I have to agree with HIS GIFT TO US. IT IS POSSIBLE. Highly unlikely but possible, most times when caught it is normally aborted because it is considered an ectopic but there has been cases where it did develop into a pregnancy and was successful not many but there has been instances and i have also seen the discovery channel documentary on it as another poster did as well. I'm sure it's unlikely but i don't think we should be jumping all over this woman telling her she's downright wrong and that she's crazy. I know she doesn't have much hope, but when has this forum become a who's right or wrong debate. All I can say is the chance is slim and if indeed miss you are pregnant you and your baby are at VERY HIGH RISK, which like you said happened once before ending in abortion due to doctors orders. I can not speak for anyone but me on this site. I just hope you are very careful and consider other ways of having another child. If you are meant to have another child God will provide however he sees fit. I have not meant to offend anyone that's just how i feel.

[AnnieBrooke]

I saw the Discovery Channel show.  The thing that amazed the doctors about the woman's condition was that it was more than a one in a million chance of something like this even happening at all.  And then, all through her pregnancy, there was the very high risk that the baby she was carrying outside the uterus would kill her.  There is NO protection against internal bleeding in such a situation, (such as is given by a uterus) even if an egg were to attach to something that did give it a good enough blood flow to produce a placenta.  Apparently you could bleed to death from internal bleeding in less than 24 hours if something were to disrupt the placement of the embryo, which could just happen at any time as it grew.  So although our poster really, really wants this to be true, it does sound like something else (a cyst or growth) might be going on, possibly hormonally related, and she should get to a doc right now.

[nalla]

What do you mean that they took the baby from you? You said it had a heart beat etc? A Dr. wouldn't just take a healthy baby like that for no reason and in order to do any kind of surgery you have to sign consent papers. Was it an actual MD that you went to? A Dr would NOT do anything without your permission. You would have to had to sign saying it was ok to do the surgery. What was the reason they took it? They just can't do that without your permission.
Was it an ectopic pregnancy that they took? If then you could have died if they didn't remove the baby.A ectopic could be very dangerous.
And why did they remove your uterus because of a tubal pregnacy? You mentioned that you also had endo. Did you and your dr. try everything to help you with your endo? A hysterectomy isn;t the first choice to get rid of endo. and unless it was an emergency, they would not have taken your uterus and done a surgery for a tubal at the same time. That is what they call a "dirty procedure".
Was it too seperate surgeries?
So you think you have felt the baby move?  And you think you have milk coming out of your breast? How do you know it's milk? Did you sqeeze it out or are your breast just bigger? And I'm sorry, but 40lbs is way too much to gain if you are just pregnant. Most women gain about that much when they are at the end of their pregnancy. Have you taken a pregnancy test? If you think you are prego then you need to go to the Dr ASAP because it could be VERY dangerous to you. The uterus is meant to hold the baby, that's it's job. Any other place a baby is atached isnt natural and it could take your life. Please get to your Dr. now. I know if you think you are pregnant and then go to the dr. then they might take the baby if they believe your life is in danger, but if they don't then you could die along with the baby. You don't want to risk your life for this.
Are you and your partner trying to conceive a baby right now? If so then I urge you to please don't, It's just too dangerous to do this. Find a seragant to carry the baby for you.
Please, don't try to concieve a baby and get yourself to the Dr. or even go to the ER.
Please let us know how it turns out. I will be thinking of you.

I noticed you haven't responded lately, but we all are just very worried about you. Please post back.

[Cletus_VanDamm]

The weight gain,movement,and stomach hardness sounds more like an intestinal obstruction than it does pregnancy. Even if you COULD(which would be almost immaculate conception),you would NOT gain 40 pounds in a month.I'm sorry,I know how it feels to have a hysterectomy,and still wish you could have more babies,but it's just NOT possible.

[JJety]

The only thing I can think of is that the pregnancy was successful because the uterus was still there for the placenta to attach to.  I think in Mattox's case, without any uterus at all, it is impossible to maintain a pg.  

That is really interesting though!  I have not seen that show.

[Mattox]

I'm here. I will let you all know how everything goes. I have seen the shows on discovery. I had the ectopic one year & the hysterectomy in Dec. the same year. No the doctors didn't offer me any meds to try to help with the endo. I went six years in pain because of the endo. I would like to have another baby but if I can't I can't. I am just saying that if it happens I don't think I would be able to let them take the baby from me I would take my chances. I may be wrong in saying that but I feel god will do what he feels he needs to do.

[JJety]

Just be sure to look at the big picture:  

If you did end up with an ectopic pregnancy, the chances are high that you would hemorrhage and die.  Don't forget that this would leave your 8 year old daughter without her mother.

I wish you luck on your journey.

[auntlugu]

Just my two cents.  Everyone comes to this site because they are asking for help howevr strange a question may be.  I have also read and have seen the discovery channel where a baby attached outside the uterus although that is a one in a billion chance and very dangerous.  Rathern than calling the girl dilusional and telling her that your glad she doesn't have a uterus how about just telling her to see a dr and thats it.  is there really a need to get so harsh.

[Cletus_VanDamm]

Because something is not right with her. It's not possible.

[Cletus_VanDamm]

I'm sorry,it's just NOT possible. Dont get your hopes up. Have you gone to the dr? have you taken a test?

[auntlugu]

She was asking a question which we all do.  Thats fine everyone can have their opinion that its not possible, I agree, but there is no need to be so cruel.

[mslkpage]

Feel free to express your two cents, and I'll continue to express mine.

[auntlugu]

I will except i express them in a manner that is not hurtful to someone that is struggling with the same issues we are

[mslkpage]

I believe there are other issues at work here than the ones I am dealing with. For instance, if I had no uterus, I would not be asking about the possibility of carrying a pregnancy. Notice that the answers were kind and sensitive initially, but she didn't believe us! That's when you have to just spell it out for people.

Oh wait, I'm sorry...let's bust out some sunshine everyone!! Sticky babydust to all...even if you don't have uterus!!

[auntlugu]

I just cannot figure out why you would make such a comment

"Not possible, and I'm really glad you do not have a uterus".  

I've seen you on this site answering many questions and you may have very well answered a few of mine.  I just feel as if she was asking a question, like i said, however strange it may be, and for all of us here TTC we all know how hard it is.  Maybe she is just clinging to whatever hope she can.  I am not saying we should appease her, I do think the advice of it not being possible was corrent and seeking medical help was correct i just don't think she needs to be told she is delisional and things like that.  I am not trying to argue with you i just want to know how you could say something like that as if it was nothing.

[mslkpage]

I never said she was delusional, but if someone said that, I would likely agree with them.

She's in a serious state of denial. When she refused to believe what we were telling her, yeah- I said I was glad she has no uterus. There are plenty of unstable people that have babies. All I meant was this is one less.

I really don't know why you needed me to clarify that, but there ya go.

[JJety]

I understand what you're saying, but seriously, when someone insists that they can get pg without a uterus and willingly admits that they would go to any length to keep the embryo, even though it would likely KILL her, you have to admit - that is a bit delusional.

[siren of the sea]

aunlugu what right do you have to jump mslkpage for her responses? we all are or have been ttc, but with a uterus. apparently this woman has no idea of how her body works or why they took her parts out. it would be in her BEST interest to understand she cannot and should not ever ttc. some people need the straight up truth and some are nice enough to do it. with all that if god want her to, blah! if i close my eyes and walk across the freeway is it god who decides if i get killed? no its my dumb self for giving it a try.

[Cletus_VanDamm]

She is NOT struggling with TTC. There is no chance of her being or becoming pregnant WITHOUT a Uterus. I have accepted the fact that i will not have anymore children,why cant she accept it?

NO UTERUS= NO BABY

[mslkpage]

I know it sounded harsh, but I work with people on a daily basis that have denial issues...serious denial issues. I figured out a long time ago, that being up front (maybe a little blunt) is the best thing in the long run. Otherwise, you just help them bury the reality even more. Could I have been more tactful? Sure, and I admit that.

[sk2006a]

in your original comment you stated that you had seen the same show on discovery, and the woman had carried a baby on the outside of her UTERUS.  this woman has no uterus.  i think the women here are trying to help her understand how fundamentally & incredibly unlikely this could be.  it sounds as if she's hoping it's true - and she needs to not get her hopes up for something that's just not going to happen.  there's no reason to accuse them of being harsh - they're just being honest.

[auntlugu]

i do understand that she came here for help and that she should be told the truth which is plain and simple.  you need to see a dr., because there is a 0% chance you are pregnant and could be seriously ill.  i totally agree.  mslkpage answered me when she said she does admit it was harsh.  thats all.  i never get into debates on this site.  i simply ask a question when i need to and answer whenever i can about something i am knowledgeable about.  i was just taken back when i saw her response because i do not remember ever seeing her say something like that and i just feel as if it was uncalled for.  I am not attacking her I was just trying to understand how she could say something that was in my opinion cruel.  thats all.  i am not at all saying she should be lead to beleive that there is any chance because i am sure it is 0%.  but i did see that show and yes it did attach outside the uterus so that part she did not make up.  as for her TTC, no she obviously cannot TTC but I am sure she is wanting a baby just as we all are and I guess I feel bad for her since it is utterly impossible.

[2songbirds]

I missed this yesterday, but saw it's still active.

Question:

how would the lil' swimmers find their way to the tubes without a uterus? Isn't the uterus the 'pathway' for the lil' guys? So, if there is no uterus, how the hell do they find their way to the tubes to fertilize the egg?

[auntlugu]

Good question.  the tv show we saw was where the woman was pregnant but one of the babies attached outside the uterus.  so there was one there.  I think it attached to the outside of the uterus and something else.  Without one i guess it could not happen and if it did it probably would not last and would be the rarest of rare things to happen.

[Cletus_VanDamm]

No, the tubes are the pathway to the Uterus.

[vsentz]

lol!! all I got to say is: unbelievable
'uhhh' hello!
so now, if my husband, who, as you might imagine, doesn't have a uterus....but gets an IVF, turns out he can be pregnant??? might as well he carries the baby since I am too lazy to get preggo!, at least he would know what is to be preggo like!!!
darn!!!
maybe the baby will stick to his guts better than it is sticking to my uterus!?

[Mattox]

with the last one it did not show up on bloodtest. They did ultrasound. That is when I heard the heartbeat. it was hard for along time because my then sister inlaw just had a baby 4 days before. I will admit I had some mental issues when I lost that baby. I did not know anything that was happening because my then husband made all the calls. I didn't get any info from the docs til it all was over because they sedated me.

[ny36]

Just out of curiousity, how far along would you say you are...assuming it's a viable pg? The reason I ask is b/c you said that your breast are filling with  milk. Now I've never been pg, so I don't know at what month or trimester of your pg do your breasts start filling with milk.
Please dont' take this the wrong way, it's just a question that I'm curious about.

All my best to you and as other ladies stated, definitely go see a dr. no matter what, whether it's pregnancy related or not. At the end of the day it's about your health.

[auntlugu]

This is all new to me too. I was just wondering what happened to you that caused them to give you the hysterectomy?

[Mattox]

i am not sure. I have had a problem with my breasts filling with milk for a while. At first I thought it was just a hormonal thing as well then all the other symptoms started. I will let you know what I find out. thanks for understanding that I was just looking for input:)

[2songbirds]

where's who_dis and andij78 when we need them??

[ny36]

Good luck to you Mattox, a hysterectomy is not an easy thing to come to terms with, as women I'm sure it's got to be one of the hardest things and worst things we'd ever want to go through.
May God take care of you throughout this difficult journey.

[auntlugu]

I know that everyone was trying to give you the opinion to not have false hope.  i do agree with that i just would have worded it differently.  i hate to see anyone's feelings get hurt.  its true though that you have to stay well for your daughter and for yourself.

[2songbirds]

sorry, I meant to get to the tubes, don't they have to go through your cervix, which is the opening through the uterus, through the uterus itself, to the waiting egg in the fall. tubes?

I also saw that program on Discovery health. The 3rd embryo was attached to her internal organs, I think the bladder or somewhere in that vicinity. I remember the dr's were worried while removing the baby afraid that she'd hemmorage, but they left part of the placenta in her. I watched it a couple times, as I was baffeled by it as well. There was another similar program on around the same time about an old lady who had to get a calcified mass removed from her abdomen. Turns out it was an ectopic pg that ruptured like 50 yrs earlier, and somehow managed to survive attached in her abdomine somewhere. The baby did live to FT, but she needed a C-section, which she wasn't able to get, and the baby died. Or as she referred 'was sleeping'.

I think these are so rare that that's why they're on TV.

[vsentz]

I saw that one!!!!! it was called 'the woman who was pregnant for 45 years' or something like that!.....the baby wasn't ectopic.....it was a normal one, but it needed a c-section and couldn't get it (a poor country) and then it just died and calcified itself.....(wasn't it like that? maybe not.....maybe it was ectopic....who knows! lol) but anyway, that was a good one! and yeah i agree, that's why the are on TV because they are FREAK cases of nature!

[Mattox]

Sorry to have caused such a stir. I am not crazy I was just wandering if anyone else has heard of this and yes as I said if I did end up pregnant in a FREAK case of this I am saying I don't know what I would do. I do have all the preggo symptoms though and I am going to the docs so I will fill you in. The doctor said that it could have attached to my ovary. They have had other patients that this happened to they would not tell me the outcome of these other women but I will let you know what happens since this is a wacky thing.

[auntlugu]

I am sure everyone is happy you are going to the dr to take care of yourself.

[2songbirds]

go to the nearest dollar store and get a hpt. I know ectopic pg's hcg levels are lower than a normal pg, but your saying that your having cravings, bb's feel like there's milk, and you're feeling movement on the left side. Then, you'd def be far enough along for a hpt to pick up hcg by now. I'm 14-15 weeks, and just started feeling my lil' bean move in the last 1 1/2 weeks (3rd child).

have you been having any sharp pain?

[Mattox]

My breasts are full of milk & leaking. I have been feeling movement and all my other pregnancies did not show up on hpt. I will let you know and just for the record I am not an unstable person. If you were to meet me you would understand that. I am not dissing anyone who thinks I am unstable. There are some other forums with other girls in the same situation. I found them on google. I just wanted to see if I was the only one who had these symptoms. If I have to I will see about adopting a baby. I am going to the docs so I will let you know what I find out.

[2songbirds]

Good luck, and I wish you the best. BTW, I wasn't by any means implying you're unstable or anything. I just find the whole situation a bit strange, and now I'm curious what the outcome is.

Is your dr going to do a blood test or an u/s?

[auntlugu]

Please post as soon as you hear to give us all an update.