Pregnancy after Tubal Reversal Surgery

It is not common that patients with tubal ligation change their minds and opt for a Tubal Reversal surgery, so as to be able to become pregnant again. Tubal ligation surgery closes the fallopian tubes, which stops the connection between the ovaries and the uterus. The Tubal Reversal is a procedure that will open the fallopian tubes and will give the patient higher chances of pregnancy than the in vitro fertilization method.

Tubal Ligation Surgery

The tubal ligation surgery may be performed in several ways:

  • Cutting the fallopian tubes
  • Clipping the tubes
  • Tying the tubes
  • Cauterizing the tubes
  • Blocking the tubes (requires no surgery)

Regardless of the method chosen for tubal ligation, the Tubal Reversal procedure is possible. Some tubal ligation methods may influence the success of the Tubal Reversal surgery.

Tube Reversal

The Tubal Reversal is a surgery that is similar to the tubal ligation procedure; this time, the physician will open the fallopian tubes and reconnect the ovaries and the uterus, so that the patient can conceive again.

The surgery may require a few days of hospitalization. The option of microsurgery is also available; in this case, the Tubal Reversal may be an outpatient procedure and takes less than 1 hour. The microsurgery has higher success rates (90%) than the traditional Tubal Reversal surgery.

In some cases, the Tubal Reversal procedure may not be possible, such as when the fallopian lining has been damaged. This may happen if the patient opted for cauterization of the tubes.

Tubal Reversal and Pregnancy

The Tubal Reversal surgery is a procedure that is chosen mainly because patients change their minds and would like to conceive children again.

If the lining of the fallopian tubes remains intact after the tubal ligation and the Tubal Reversal procedure, the patient may get pregnant. However, a period of at least 6 weeks is required after the Tubal Reversal procedure, to allow a full recovery.

Research on patients after Tubal Reversal surgery has shown that more than 70% of them got pregnant within 1 year after the surgery. The remaining amount of patients may get pregnant later, or the pregnancy may never happen. There are also other factors that may intervene when it comes to the capacity of the patient to conceive (such as the age of the patient and her health condition).

The potential risk of ectopic pregnancy after the Tubal Reversal surgery should not be ignored. Patients should be tested as early as possible, to ensure that the pregnancy is normal and the fetus is positioned in the uterus.

Alternatives for Tubal Reversal

Parents who would like to become pregnant after a tubal ligation procedure also have the option of in vitro fertilization (IVF); however, the pregnancy rates are higher in the case of the Tubal Reversal surgery patients. In addition, Tubal Reversal is less expensive than IVF.

Typically, patients that have damaged fallopian tubes or an unsuccessful Tubal Reversal surgery will opt for IVF.

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