I had my tubes tied in 2014; they were not burned or clipped. I would like to have a tubal reversal but am concerned about the safety of the procedure because I have high blood pressure. Will this complicate the procedure or make it somehow unsafe or ineffective? Also, is there a pill that can be taken to untie your tubes?
If your blood pressure is well-controlled and you are otherwise healthy, you could be considered a candidate for a reversal, but that would have to be assessed when you see the physician. As to your last question, they can only be reversed through a surgical procedure.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Tubal reversal requires general anesthesia and, as with any surgery, has some risks, but the risks are generally quite low. High blood pressure will definitely make the operation less safe — how much so depends on the degree of high blood pressure and how well it can be controlled. If it is under good control then the additional risk should be fairly low.
However, high blood pressure can be a serious problem in a future pregnancy. It is important to manage diet and weight and follow your doctor's recommendations for medical treatment if you have high blood pressure. There are no pills that can untie your tubes. Another option to tubal reversal can be in vitro fertilization (IVF), a procedure that uses hormone medications to stimulate the ovary to develop multiple eggs, which are then retrieved using a small needle and conscious sedation anesthesia, fertilized with your partner's sperm and cultured to make embryos, which are then replaced into the uterus. Extra embryos can be frozen for future use. The decision to undergo tubal reversal or IVF should be made in consultation with a fertility specialist who is familiar with both approaches.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
There is no link between high blood pressure and the effectiveness of a tubal reversal. If blood pressure is well-controlled, surgery should be safe. No, there is not a pill that can be taken to untie your tubes.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Thank you for the email. There are many things to consider when deciding if a tubal reversal is the right choice for you and your family.
The obvious advantage with a tubal reversal is the hope that you will be able to achieve pregnancy with no interventions. The typical estimate is that, if everything goes well and all things are optimal, about 75 percent of women will achieve pregnancy within their first year of trying. If there are any factors that are not optimal, the chances for success can be significantly lower.
Here are some things to consider:
• Before a tubal reversal should take place, you and your physician need to know if it is a good option. For example, the specialist will need to think about egg quality, your age, tubal status, endocrine status, and it is very important to know what the sperm quality is of the male partner.
• If you are determined to be a good candidate, surgery will need to take place. The success of the surgery often cannot be determined until after the surgery. For example, what conditions are the tubes in and is there any scar tissue or endometriosis. This is not known until the procedure.
• If the reversal is “successful,” the chance of success is still not insured. For example, there is an increased risk for ectopic pregnancy.
• After a reversal, and after you've hopefully achieved your goal of having a child (if that is your agenda), you will also have to consider birth control options again, be it contraception or having your tubes retied.
The other option is obviously IVF. The benefits of IVF are:
• Many variables can be worked around
• Success rate each month is much greater
• Options for prevention of genetic disease through new genetic screening
• Option to screen embryos for chromosome or genetic conditions to decrease the chance for having a baby with a syndrome, or a miscarriage, through a process called preimplantation genetic testing
There are obviously drawbacks as well:
• Requires medication for stimulation
• It is not the “natural” option that some couples desire
• Cost can be a burden, as the procedure can be as high as $15,000 or more
There is much to consider prior to deciding what is the best option. The first step is a consultation with a fertility specialist to discuss your history and start your lab work up. From there, he or she will be able to advise you on the options that best fit your needs.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Hi, your high blood pressure is not a contraindication to having a tubal reversal. However, you must have medical clearance before your surgery to make sure your blood pressure is controlled before surgery. Also, I would recommend that the anesthesiologist be aware of your high blood pressure pre-surgery. There is also in vitro fertilization (IVF), which is a procedure that can allow you to conceive without the need for a tubal reversal. Lastly, there is no oral medication to reverse your tubal ligation.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Tubal reversal is safe if you have controlled high blood pressure. There is no pill that will 'undo' your tubes; only tubal reversal surgery can rejoin your tubes.
Published on Jul 11, 2012