Tubal reversal or microsurgical tubal reanastomosis can bring back smiles to the faces of women who repent of their previous decision of tying the fallopian tubes. Tubal ligation is considered a permanent form of sterilization, and thus chances of becoming pregnant are next to impossible. However, situations do change in our lives, and although these women tied their tubes, unfortunately, they do not have any means to put a leash on their feelings. The craving to become a mother again can make them anxious. If you think, the above lines reflect your current state of mind, then go and visit a tubal reversal center right now. If you have any doubts about the procedure and considering IVF as a viable option, we will elaborate on both of these procedures for your convenience.
The drawbacks of IVF
Considering the stupendous success of IVF over the past few years, many people might think it is the best way to achieve pregnancy. However, the biggest disadvantage of IVF is one has to undergo various cycles to become pregnant. The procedure involves the administration of fertility drugs and various sets of procedures. By chance, if it fails, then the woman has to go through all these steps again. A tubal reversal, on the other hand, restores fertility letting the woman become pregnant naturally.
Next, the cost factor can be a limiting factor for many individuals. For IVF, couples should prepare to spend around $ 12,000-$15,000. Now imagine the ordeal, if even after spending a fortune the woman fails to achieve pregnancy. It can be a severe jolt to confidence. Simultaneously, it will drain the finances making them ill-prepared to commence another IVF cycle anytime soon.
Benefits of tubal reversal surgery
As the name emphasizes, the primary aim of a tubal reversal is to reconnect or repair the fallopian tubes. Before proceeding, the surgeon will evaluate the steps in which the tubal ligation was conducted. After the evaluation, the surgeon will sort out the way for unblocking the tubes. The procedure hardly takes a couple of hours, and the patient can leave for home the same day. The cost of this surgery is within $4500-$8000 and is somewhat within the acceptable range. The best part, after a successful tubal reversal surgery, it is not necessary to revisit the clinic if the woman intends to get pregnant again. Given that the woman successfully restores her fertility, it is a lot more advantageous than IVF.
Limited side effects
While you might hear the word of mouth, the tubal reversal has severe side effects, the statement is untrue. A handful of women will experience scarring or infections after the surgery. Generally, they will heal very quickly and can resume their normal activities. On the other hand, IVF is a complicated procedure involving steps like implantation, embryo transfer, egg retrieval, and egg freezing.
Success rates of IVF and Tubal reversal
There is no denying the fact, the success rates of both IVF and tubal reversal have improved over the years. Still, if you compare the success ratio of tubal reversal with IVF, the former has more feathers in its cap. Here is an illustration; the success percentage for women under 35 in IVF is under 50% while that of tubal reversal is more than 80%. The only point of contention is, not everyone can be eligible for undergoing a tubal reversal surgery. If a woman does not have a substantial percentage of healthy fallopian tubes left, then the woman is disqualified for undergoing the surgery.
So, as you can see, tubal reversal is a better option since it is budget-friendly and the recovery period is less. Let the fertility specialist make the final call as to which of the procedures would be best suited for the woman.
Risks for older women
At the age of forty and above, the rate of ovulation starts declining. Health experts state, at the aforesaid age, most women start experiencing irregular periods which affects ovulation. Furthermore, during this period, various health complications start to creep in like polycystic ovarian syndrome, extreme stress, imbalance of lifestyle, and hormonal abnormalities. Bad habits like smoking and alcohol can deteriorate the situation further.
Initially, it seems tubal reversal surgery aims at restoring the functionality of the fallopian tubes, so it has little to do with the issues mentioned above. However, all those health maladies can cause a hurdle when the woman tries getting pregnant naturally. Yet another aspect of concern is, at the age of 40, the likelihood of miscarriages also increases. As you can understand, the quality of eggs is not up to the mark, it can raise various problems too. Unfortunately, health experts are still trying to identify a way to overcome miscarriages. Therefore, the possibility of egg implantation in an undesirable place makes a woman vulnerable to a miscarriage.
You can still remain optimistic
After reading the above, anyone who falls in the aforesaid age group would feel their chances are gone for sure. However, there is still hope. Medical records reveal several women have managed to deliver a healthy baby even at this age, and after undergoing a tubal reversal surgery. Whatever we mentioned so far was a general statement. Exceptions do happen. If the fertility health of a woman along with her male partner is perfect and she has a sufficient portion of healthy fallopian tubes, pregnancy is very much possible even in the forties. You can read the success stories of couples on the tubal reversal websites, and that should serve as a source of encouragement.
Wrapping it up
Hopefully, after reading thus far, most of your doubts related to tubal reversal are over. Instead of pondering, consult an experienced surgeon. If required, they can initiate treatment for boosting fertility or any other underlying health issues. So, you have enough reasons to keep your fingers crossed, hoping for the best.
