There are two options for women who have had a previous tubal ligation and now desire to have more children: 1) tubal reversal surgery and, 2) in vitro fertilization (IVF). Although tubal reversal surgery is not right for everyone, in most cases it is the most successful and most cost-effective option for pregnancy after sterilization. With pregnancy rates averaging 75% and a cost of $5900, tubal reversal surgery is usually more desirable than IVF with pregnancy rates of approximately 27% and costs exceeding $8,000 per IVF cycle.
One way to determine whether tubal reversal surgery is the best option for you is through an interpretation of the operative report from your tubal ligation. With this information, the doctor is able to provide feedback on the type of sterilization that was performed and the amount of tube that may be remaining after the reversal.
Your local doctor can perform the required pre-operative lab tests for you. The lab testing should be completed within a day or two of scheduling surgery to ensure results are in at least three weeks prior to the surgery date.
An anesthesiologist may contact you before your surgery date. The discussion may include reviewing your health and anesthesia history. Depending on your health history, additional lab or medical testing may be required.