Tubal Ligation Reversal

Before the tubal ligation reversal

What is required prior to surgery?

During the tubal ligation reversal

After tubal ligation reversal

What are the risks of tubal ligation reversal?

Pregnancy success rates after reversal

Good candidate tubal ligation reversal

In a tubal ligation, also known as “having your tubes tied,” your fallopian tubes are cut or blocked. Fertilization happens in the fallopian tube, so a tubal ligation prevents pregnancy by keeping the sperm and egg from meeting.

Some women who have had a tubal ligation might choose to have it reversed. A tubal ligation reversal reconnects the blocked or cut segments of the fallopian tube. This allows a woman who had previously had her tubes tied to become pregnant naturally. This procedure is also known as a tubal reanastomosis, tubal reversal, or tubal sterilization reversal.

A tubal ligation reversal may allow you to get pregnant without further medical assistance.

A tubal ligation reversal isn't appropriate for everyone. Your health care provider will consider several factors to determine if tubal ligation reversal is likely to be successful, such as:

Your age and body mass index
The type of tubal ligation
The extent of the damage to your fallopian tubes
Remaining tubal length
Other fertility factors, such as sperm and egg quality

The success of a tubal ligation reversal procedure depends on a variety of factors. It's more likely to be successful if you still have a large portion of healthy fallopian tube remaining.

Tubal ligation reversal is more likely to be successful if your tubal ligation was originally done using clips or rings, rather than if segments of your fallopian tubes were burned in order to close them off (electrocautery). Some types of sterilization, such as the Essure or Adiana systems, aren't considered reversible.

Read more about: What is the success rate of ICSI IVF?

Before the tubal ligation reversal

Your doctor will likely suggest you and your partner get a complete physical exam. That way you can find out if there's anything that might keep you from getting pregnant after a tubal reversal.

Your exam may include blood and imaging tests to make sure your ovaries are normal. You'll also need a test called a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), to check the length and function of your remaining fallopian tubes. An HSG can be done using dye and X-rays or saline and air along with ultrasound.

Your doctor may also suggest that your partner get tests such as a sperm count and semen analysis to rule out any fertility problems.

Read more about: when is assisted hatching done in IVF

What is required prior to surgery?

medical history and physical examination
male partner's sperm analysis
copies of your operative report and pathology reports for the sterilization procedure at the time of your initial office visit will be helpful
You may also be required to have additional x-rays, blood work and/ or fertility tests prior to surgery.

Read more about: Female Pelvic Laparoscopy

During the tubal ligation reversal

First, your doctor will look at your fallopian tubes using a laparoscopic camera. This is a small camera put into your abdomen through a tiny slit. If your doctor sees that you have enough fallopian tube left to reverse your tubal ligation, and everything else looks healthy, they’ll perform the surgery.

Most tubal ligation reversals are done with laparoscopic surgery. This means the surgeon will make several small slits in your abdomen (the largest being approximately ½-inch long), then put in a camera and small instruments to do the surgery. They’ll control these from outside your abdomen. This takes approximately two to three hours, and you’ll need general anesthesia.

Your doctor will remove any damaged sections of your fallopian tubes and any devices from the tubal ligation, such as clips or rings. They’ll then use very small stitches to reattach the undamaged ends of your fallopian tubes. Once the tubes are reconnected, the surgeon will inject a dye into one end of each tube. If no dye leaks out, that means the tubes have been reattached successfully.

In some cases, your surgeon might use a procedure called a minilaparotomy. Your surgeon will make an incision in your abdomen, usually about 2 inches. They’ll then take the ends of the fallopian tube out of your abdomen through the slit. The surgeon will remove damaged parts of the fallopian tube and reconnect the healthy sections while the tubes are outside your body.

10 common questions about Tubal Ligation Reversal in Iran

1Can you have a tubal reversal if your tubes were burned?

Usually, the loop is cut and the ends cauterized or “burned“. This type of tubal ligation is often referred to as cut, tied, and burned. These are usually very good for reversal. The fact that the ends are burned doesn't matter because that part is going to be lost anyway during the tubal reversal

2Can you get your tubes untied for free?

Having your private or public health insurance plan pay is another option for getting your tubes untied free. Insurance rarely covers the reversal of voluntary sterilization

3How long does it take for tubes to heal after tubal reversal?

approximately two weeks Recovery for laparoscopic surgery takes about a week. Recovery for a minilaparotomy takes approximately two weeks. In that time, you'll probably have pain and tenderness around the incision. Your doctor might prescribe you pain medication, or you can use over-the-counter medication

4How soon after tubal reversal can I try to conceive?

If all goes well, you may get pregnant in the first month of trying. Most pregnancies are achieved in the first year after tubal ligation reversal

5Can I get pregnant after tubes cut and burned?

Though rare, it is possible to become pregnant after tubal ligation. Usually, this occurs if the fallopian tubes have grown back together over time. In some cases, pregnancy is possible because the surgeon performed the procedure incorrectly.

6Can I untie my tubes myself?

When you had your tubes tied, you were probably 100% sure you never wanted to get pregnant. ... Your doctor may suggest an operation called "tubal ligation reversal." A surgeon will reopen, untie, or reconnect your fallopian tubes so you can have a baby again

7Do insurance companies pay for tubal reversal?

Most insurance companies do not pay for the procedure. And it is not covered by U.S. government programs such as Medicaid or military health insurance. There is no guarantee that you will be able to become pregnant after having the reversal.

8Can you get pregnant after 10 years of having your tubes tied?

Tubal ligation is one of the most effective ways to prevent pregnancy, with rates of pregnancy around 1/1,000 after the first year, and between 2-10/1,000 after five years. Although the possibility of becoming pregnant is low, the chance is still there

9What is the fastest way to recover from a tubal ligation?

After a laparoscopy, it usually takes about 1 week. After a mini-laparotomy, it usually takes 1 to 3 weeks. If you had a mini-laparotomy after having a baby, your recovery may take longer. You will be protected from pregnancy right away

10Where does the egg go after tubal ligation?

A tubal ligation is a permanent form of birth control. After this procedure has been performed, an egg cannot move from the ovary through the tubes (a woman has two Fallopian tubes), and eventually to the uterus. Also, sperm cannot reach the egg in the Fallopian tube after ovulation (release of an egg from the ovary).

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