A friend who was "fixed" years ago now has a pregnant wife.

[Swede]

Can a guy be unfixed? I don't want to ask him,but would they have to use artificial insemination?

[soothsayer]

1. Lots of times they are reversable. Sometimes they don't even

work.

[Occulus]

4. every once in a while

I've heard, there's spontaneous regeneration. That's if they got snipped, I think... not quite certain on this one, but it seems I heard or read about it a loooong time ago.

[leftofthedial]

2. uh, that would be my fault

sorry.

[Minimus]

3. yes, guys can be unfixed.

vasectomies are reversible. It would depend on how close of a friend he is before I would consider asking questions. I would wait for him to volunteer the information.

[Lefta Dissenter]

5. they can be 'unfixed,'

though the longer they're fixed, the harder they are to unfix!

My former brother-in-law fathered a child, was fixed, unfixed, fathered another child, and then fixed again.... not that my sister is a control freak or anything... :eyes:

(for anyone who knows me, the sister I'm referring to is not my DU sister - it's my other sister) :hi:

[tk2kewl]

6. can you say "mail-man"?

[Ganja Ninja]

41. As the saying goes, Mama's baby, Papa's maybe. n/t

[Guaranteed]

7. Yes, I've heard of that happening- but, I'd say the guy had better

look very seriously into whether or not his wife is cheating on him.

[Nlighten1]

8. Maybe a DNA test is in order...

:)

[gollygee]

9. A few options:

1) had vasectomy reversed. It can be done.
2) Used donor sperm and artificial insemination.
3) Vasectomy reversed on it's own - sometimes that happens too and there are suprise babies.

I think if she had cheated he'd know and wouldn't be happy about the new baby. I'd guess it's one of the above 3 options.

[L84TEA]

10. IT HAPPENS... !!

This happened to my 40+ year old co-worker.. Her husband flipped the lid...
All your friend has to do is go get a sperm count, if they are swimming he is the Daddy.
Her husband was relieved but he also had to go through the big V again. LOL

[KMG]

11. It would be more likely

the wifey has a lover. Sorry but if he was "fixed" as you put it, I think there's some hanky panky going on...:crazy:

[JVS]

14. I second this

[underseasurveyor]

12. When my hubbie got snipped a few years ago

The doctor told us that it is not 100% for sure, without a doubt, absolutely positive to prevent pregnancy. He said there is still a 1 to 2 percent chance of being able to get a woman pregnant.
Beats the hell outta me how that could happen if the road way has been severed and blocked off. :shrug: Anythings possible I guess. They say life will always find a way.

[KDLarsen]

25. "They say life will always find a way"

.. that quote is so ripped off from Jurassic Park :D

[elfrangel]

40. now see,

I may be labeled an 'insensitive man' - but, for no better odds than these, I'm not going under the knife... freaking condoms are better than a 1 in 2 chance.

ON EDIT: DANGIT!!! I didn't know Mrs. Choralscholar was logged in! This is Choralscholar, BTW!

[JVS]

13. That's why I think vasectomies are a dumb way to go.

If you really want to prevent offspring in your family you should go to the source, the mother.

[underseasurveyor]

15. That's not 100% either

:eyes:

[Hans Delbrook]

21. You are right!

I've known of two women who got pregnant after having their tubes tied. And the sterilization operation is a lot easier on the man than the woman. Hubby (God bless him) had it done 8 years ago and we remain child-free to this day.

[JVS]

28. Removing the Uterus is not 100% effective?

I never said tying tubes

[miss_kitty]

31. like that's a good thing to do

Dude. Wrong. Unless it's sick.

:eyes:

[Left Is Write]

36. No ethical surgeon will remove a healthy uterus.

[JVS]

37. Well, then I guess there is no 100% method

[Left Is Write]

38. That's true. There isn't.

[Maddy McCall]

34. That's the most sexist thing I've ever heard on DU.

Women can't become pregnant without sperm. For you to suggest that a woman should endanger her health by having her uterus removed, which affects all facets of her health, is just disgusting.

Unless a woman has a reproductive health problem that mandates a total hysterectomy, then it shouldn't be done just for birth control. There are MANY methods available.

Once again, place the burden on women. :eyes:

[hyphenate]

16. I would assume

in a situation like that, that an "ooops" on the wife's part is warranted. I would certainly think for awhile about questioning the paternity of the child.

[skygazer]

17. I would avoid asking questions on this

It can only lead to bad things. Besides, it's none of your business. If she is pregnant and he is okay with it, then that's all that matters.

But the truth of the matter is that vasectomies don't always work - I have a friend who got pregnant after her hubby's vasectomy and yes, it was his kid.

Or perhaps they did the AI.

Or maybe she fooled around. But it's not your business. If he wants to bring it up with you, he will. Period.

[Swede]

18. Sounds like pretty darn good advice.

My lips are sealed.

[insane_cratic_gal]

20. umm it can grow back

When you get fixed your suppose to have it checked every 5 years..

It does in some instances retain some healing factors that will produce a child.

It doesn't always happen but it has happened. I know someone personally who went through this. When the child was born they did a DNA test sure enough it was his.

The generally accepted failure rate is 1-3 pregnancies per 1000 vasectomies. This is thought to be due to the tubes growing back. This happens in one in 300 vasectomies within the first 4 months after the surgery, and in one study there were positive sperm counts in 0.6% of men a year after a vasectomy (this is 6 pregnancies per 1000 vasectomies after a year!)



But they can be undone.

[Mend]

19. Happened here with a fundie preacher

who impregnanted one of his fundie flock. Her husband had been "fixed" seven years before. Everyone acted as if nothing unusual had happened....maybe nothing unusual had.

[nini]

22. it happens..

I know a couple that got pregnant have she was fixed. Then he did and they got pregnant AGAIN.

proves either procedure is not foolproof.


I wouldn't ask though, I'd just let it go and if they're happy then good for them.

[SoCalDem]

23. This happened to my friend

Ted got "fixed" after their 4th child, but what he did not tell her, was that he never went back for his "follow-up" appointment because he was embarrassed..:eyes:..

That's how they got Josh :)

[CatWoman]

24. On the flip side

my sister had her tubes tied, and then still got pregnant. The baby was lodged in her tubes, and she had to have a complete hysterectomy.

[ogradda]

29. yes that happened to a girlfriend of mine

ectopic pregnancy i think they called it. it was a mess :(

[DemocratSinceBirth]

26. Sounds Like The Plot Of The Good Girl

nt

[rug]

27. Sure . . . .

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

30. It CAN happen, but it's pretty darn rare.

Let's put it this way: my husband had a vas a little over four years ago and if I became pregnant, he'd have some serious questions. And I'd be totally freaked out.

[SarahB]

32. Occasionally the vas deferens can grow back.

Stats are about 3 in 1,000. These things can happen to women too. I know a woman who got pregnant 9 years after a tubal ligation (no invitro).

[Left Is Write]

33. As has been said...

vasectomies can heal themselves, yes.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

35. That one sentence you wrote

scares the heebie-jeebies outta me.

:scared:

[azoth]

39. This is true. Sneakers do occur. A urologist I knew

said that he'd seen about four patients in his career whose wives had suddenly turned up preggers after the big V. Well - he said he'd seen way more than that but that there were four that he treated, tested, and it was absolutely the case that there were lurking sperm. The others showed no evidence of sperm in their specimens though their wives professed no extramarital sex.

THAT is why they make you sign that disclaimer.

But I'd never ask someone a question like that. Well...OK maybe I would. :)

[noonwitch]

42. One in every so many thousands of vasectomies spontaneously reconnect

At least according to Steven King in "It".

[Philostopher]

43. Mebbe he froze some before he had the snip.

I don't know how effective stored sperm is when it's unfrozen, but I know some men do 'bank' some if they haven't fathered children yet, for various reasons. They freeze eggs, too. Again, don't know how effective it is when they 'thaw' them, but I know it's done.

So, maybe he banked some and they decided to use it.

[bleedingheart]

44. It happens...

sounds weird but I have known of two cases of men who have had vasectomies but got their wives pregnant again...and the babies were theirs...not the mail man's...

[GingerSnaps]

45. She slipped on the floor and the guy at Blockbuster fell on top of her

:D

[RUDUing2]

46. when dh had his vasectomy the doctor did a *triple*

cause he said any *one* type of vasectomy has the potential to regrow...

so he was snipped, tied AND burned...doc said it was the ONLY way to be sure the vasectomy would not reverse itself.

Anyhow he needs to have a sperm check done to see if this has occured w/him.