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Tubal ligation is the most common form of birth control throughout the world. When you make the decision to have your tubes tied, you know deep in your heart that your family is complete or you don’t want kids. But what do you do if you change your mind later in life?
Tubal ligation reversal is a procedure that may restore your fertility and help you grow your family. At CARE Fertility in Bedford and Fort Worth, Texas, our co-founders, Drs. Kevin and Kathy Doody, offer fertility options for women who’ve had their tubes tied.
Here, we explain tubal ligation reversal and how long it may take to conceive after you have the procedure.
About tubal ligation reversal
Tubal ligation is a permanent form of birth control for women. It’s a surgical procedure that blocks or cuts your fallopian tubes, preventing your eggs from meeting up with sperm for fertilization and pregnancy.
Tubal ligation reversal is a surgical procedure that reconnects or reopens your fallopian tubes, allowing the egg to easily flow through so it can connect with sperm for fertilization.
Though reversing a tubal ligation sounds fairly simple, it’s more complex than getting your tubes tied. When reversing a tubal ligation, we have to reconstruct your fallopian tubes.
Conceiving after tubal ligation reversal
Getting pregnant is the goal after having tubal ligation reversal. Chances of success vary and depend on many factors, including your age, your original tubal ligation procedure, and the length of your fallopian tubes following your reversal.
Pregnancy rates following tubal ligation reversal vary widely, ranging from 30% to 80%. Most women will get pregnant within a year or two following the procedure.
Though tubal ligation reversal is a complex procedure, it gives you a chance to get pregnant without using other infertility treatments.
Other fertility options
What if your tubal ligation reversal fails or you’re not a good candidate for the procedure? You have other fertility options.
If your tubal ligation reversal fails or if you’re not a good candidate, we may recommend in vitro fertilization (IVF). In fact, many couples may have more success getting pregnant with IVF than with a tubal ligation reversal.
For IVF, we fertilize your egg in our embryology lab for incubation and then transfer the embryo into your uterus. We also offer effortless IVF®, where we place your egg and sperm in an INVOcell that goes in your vagina for the incubation period. We then transfer the embryo to your uterus.
Pregnancy following tubal ligation reversal is possible, but it may take a year or more to happen. If you change your mind about having children after you’ve had your tubes tied, we can help you decide what route to take. Call the CARE Fertility office near you, or schedule a consultation online today.