Question

Can I get pregnant with only one fallopian tube?

16 August 2012. Related: All topics, Pregnancy, Sero different couples.

I am a 41 yr old HIV negative woman I have been with my HIV positive husband for almost 18 yrs. He has been undetectable for about 7 yrs now.
We really want to have a baby but I am worried we waited too long to do this. Oh yeah he has just turned 37. I am worried that I am too old. Plus when I was 24, I had a tubal pregnancy and had my left tube removed. I don’t know if this lessons my chances of getting pregnant. I hope not.
I wanted to know if anyone has had this problem and overcame it to conceive a miracle child?
This is the only thing I was not able to give him over the yrs and we would like nothing more than to have a beautiful baby together.
Please if anyone can give me some hope I would really appreciate it.
Thank you love,childless couple in love.

Answer

Answer: Angelina Namiba

It’s really good to hear that you and your husband have been together for so many years. It’s great too that you are looking to the future and planning to have a baby.

In response to your question, it is possible to have a baby even though you had one fallopian tube removed. The fallopian tube (women generally have 2), is the tube that allows the egg to travel from the ovary to the uterus. Where it can be fertilised. Even in cases where one ovary has been removed, the remaining one still produces an egg every month. So it is still possible for a woman to conceive with one tube.

In terms of age, many women have had babies in their 40s. However, the older we get, the less fertile we become. So for instance, it is much easier for a woman in her 30s to get pregnant than it is for a woman in her 40s. In your case, your chances are better at 41 than they would be when you get to 43.

Having said that though, the chances of a couple conceiving also depends on a number of other factors. These include how fertile a couple are; whether they can both conceive naturally; whether they try and conceive at the time when the woman is most fertile (during ovulation) or it can also simply be down to luck.  Some couples only need to have sex once before the woman gets pregnant, whereas it can take many years of trying for other couples to conceive.

Have you discussed your plans to have a baby with your doctor? This is because, it is possible for a sero-different(where one is positive and the other is negative) couple like you to have a child. Many sero-different couples have had and continue to have healthy HIV negative babies.

There are a number of options available for a couple like you. Please follow this link to our guide to HIV, pregnancy and women’s health. It provides more information on the options available to you.

You mention that your husband has an undetectable viral load. I am assuming he is taking ARVs (antiretroviral treatment for HIV. This is good because, taking ARVs and having an undetectable viral load dramatically reduces the chances of him passing HIV to you. Should you choose the conception option where you have TUI (Timed Unprotected Intercourse) at the time when you are most fertile. This option is explained in more detail in the guide above.

I can appreciate your desire to have a baby with your husband as you both so in  love. Rather than worry that you have left it late, the best thing to do will be contact your doctor. S/he will be able to provide you with more information as well as to support you on your journey to achieve your wish to have a baby.

The very best of luck with your future plans.