Many women dream of having children,
and are very happy once they do. After giving birth, a woman enters a new stage of life where all of her attention is focused on the health and happiness of her child. After she has had enough children, however, many women decide that they are finished having children. To prevent future pregnancies, women often decide to have a tubal ligation, commonly referred to as having one’s “tubes tied”, as a safe and effective birth control method.
However, circumstances often change and a woman who has had a tubal ligation may want to have another child. Luckily, medical experts can help these women achieve pregnancy again by reversing the tubal ligation through an operation called tubal ligation reversal or tubotubal anastomosis.
For most women who want to have children again after a tubal ligation, in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is the primary option they consider. However, tubal reversal surgery is a promising option for many women. It not only has substantially higher success rates than IVF, but it is also significantly less expensive.
Through reversal surgery, the separated segments of the fallopian tube are rejoined in a one-hour operation. This facilitates an egg to once again move from the ovary to the uterus in order to be fertilized by sperm, thereby helping a couple achieve a natural pregnancy.
Previously, tubal reversal surgery was a longer operation with a sizeable recovery period. Today, however, experts have developed new microsurgical techniques, which both reduce surgery and recovery time. In spite of these developments, many tubal reversal doctors do not practice the microsurgical techniques, so the benefits of tubal reversal over IVF are often overlooked.
For patients who are considering tubal ligation reversal surgery, it is important to know whether tubal ligation reversal will suit them or not. Below are some factors that determine if a woman is a good candidate for a reversal surgery:
Tubal length: The amount of fallopian tube that is left for the surgeon to operate on (determined by the type of ligation you previously had performed and the skill of the doctor who performed it) can impact if a woman is a good candidate for tubal reversal surgery. The skill of the surgeon to salvage the remaining tubes and reconnect them also impacts the success of surgery.
Sperm quality: If a male has a low sperm count, IVF may be a better option for the couple to achieve pregnancy.
Age Factor: Tubal ligation reversal might not suit women over the age of 38, though this varies on a case-by-case basis. A physician will be able to advise further.
Ovarian quality: Women interested in tubal reversal surgery are advised to have their ovarian reserve level determined to ascertain whether a pregnancy is probable after a tubal reversal.
Pelvic state: Tubal reversal surgery is not effective if a woman has ovary or pelvic endometriosis.
