DOES TUBAL REVERSAL WORK? INFO FROM A DENVER FERTILITY DOCTOR

A tubal reversal or tubal reanastomosis is a surgical procedure conducted to reverse a tubal ligation surgery.  A tubal ligation is a surgery performed to prevent pregnancy and is generally done by occluding the tubes with clips, tying the tube off with suture or burning the fallopian tubes so that eggs from the ovaries cannot pass down the tubes and meet sperm.

Tubal reversal can be performed one of 2 ways.  Most often it is performed thru an abdominal bikini cut incision however it can also be performed by Laparoscopy.  Only half of the patients are candidates for laparoscopic reversal due to position of the uterus, method the tube was tied, history of multiple prior C-sections or surgeries etc.

Success Rates of Tubal Reversal

Success rates depend on a number of factors, including:

• The length of the fallopian tube after reattachment. A length greater than 4 cm is associated with higher success.
• The age of the woman at the time of tubal reversal surgery and quality of the woman’s eggs.

• The method used to conduct the initial tubal ligation surgery.
• Which section of the tube was used for the tubal ligation. The highest success rates are seen when the tubal ligation is done in the skinniest part of the tube.
• Normal semen analysis in the partner

When all conditions are favorable, the pregnancy rate after a tubal reversal is approximately 75 to 80 percent at 2 years.  All of the above factors influence the success rate of tubal reversal surgery.  Conception usually occurs within two years of the procedure.

Risk Factors

As with any surgery, certain risk factors apply.  Risks associated with tubal reversal surgery are extremely rare, but there are possible.  Bleeding, infection, anesthetic complications and damage to nearby organs are all possible, but unlikely.  The risk of ectopic pregnancy following tubal reversal surgery increases from one in 100 cases to eight in 100.

How to Know if You Are a Candidate for Tubal Reversal?

Your Denver fertility clinic doctor will help you to determine if you are a candidate for tubal reversal.  If you do not have any medical issues that would complicate surgery and if your remaining tubal segments are healthy and viable you may be a candidate. If not In vitro fertilization may be a option.

Your male partner’s sperm will be analyzed as well as the female partner’s egg quality.  It is important to keep in mind that older women have a decreased success rate when compared with younger women, but may still achieve success with a tubal reversal.  Check with your Denver fertility specialist to see if you are a candidate for a tubal reversal surgery.