Women often have their tubes tied with the expectation that they won’t want to have any more children. As time passes, it’s not uncommon for them to change their minds and wish to have another chance to get pregnant. Fortunately most tubal ligations are reversable with a procedure called a tubal reversal, which may be an option if you’re considered a good candidate for the procedure.

Once the decision has been made to have a tubal reversal, the next question many women have is how long to wait to conceive after tubal reversal. The physicians at the Center for Reproductive Health work closely with each woman who has a tubal reversal and provide detailed post op instructions.

What to Expect After Tubal Ligation Reversal

A tubal reversal typically takes two hours or less and is done as an outpatient procedure. You’ll spend around an hour in recovery after surgery before going home. There are different approaches to tubal ligations, which means there are also some differences in tubal reversal procedures. Your doctor reviews your unique situation when recommending how soon to resume normal activities including resuming intercourse.

You may find that you’re experiencing some discomfort or reduced energy levels for a week or two. About a week after surgery, you’ll have a follow-up appointment where your doctor can evaluate how well your incision is healing and your recovery is progressing. At this visit, you’ll be able to discuss whether there’s any reason to postpone trying to conceive. In many cases, it’s a good idea to wait one or two months after your surgery before attempting to conceive to allow your body time to completely heal.

When Will I Get Pregnant?

There are no guarantees that a tubal reversal will be successful, but many women do conceive within one to two years after a tubal reversal. The chance of attaining pregnancy without additional fertility treatments after this type of surgery is about 50 to 80 percent if you’re under the age of 40. The chance of success goes down to about 30 to 40 percent if you’re over the age of 40.

What Happens if I Still Can’t Get Pregnant?

There are several different factors that can affect whether you’re able to get pregnant after a tubal reversal. Your age is one of the most important factors, along with your overall health and the health of your partner’s sperm.

The experts at the Center for Reproductive Health can work with you to explain other options that may help you to conceive, such as in vitro fertilization. This may be a better option for you if you’re over 40 or if you have any other issues that may be causing infertility such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids or pelvic inflammatory disease.

If you have been unable to conceive after tubal reversal, make an appointment for a consultation. The team at the Center for Reproductive Health is committed to exploring all possible options for helping you make your dream of conceiving a reality.

If you’ve decided you want to have a baby even though you had your tubes tied in the past, it may be possible to do a tubal reversal. A tubal reversal is a procedure that’s done to reopen and reconnect your fallopian tubes so that an egg can unite with sperm and allow you to get pregnant. Several factors need to be considered to determine if you’re a good candidate for a tubal reversal, such as your age, what type of procedure was done and how much tube remains.
Since the amount of remaining tube is a factor, most women who are interested in having a tubal ligation ask, “How much tube is needed for tubal reversal?” At the Center for Reproductive Health, expert staff are able to reverse almost all types of tubal ligations. A fallopian tube is usually around 10 to 12 centimeters long, which is about four to five inches. Even when fallopian tubes are cauterized or burned, the majority of the tube remains unharmed. Women who have about 7 cm of tubing left have the best chance of getting good results from a tubal reversal. If you have less than 5 cm of tubing, you may not be a good candidate for a tubal reversal.

What Other Factors Are Considered?

Several other factors are considered in addition to the length of tubing that remains. Your age is an important factor. The younger you are, the better chance of success you’re likely to experience after a tubal reversal, and the best success is usually achieved in women under the age of 40.
Before scheduling tubal reversal, your doctor does a thorough review of your medical history. If you have other problems that may affect fertility such as uterine fibroids, irregular periods or endometriosis, it can affect your chance of conceiving even if you have tubal reversal. The health of your partner’s sperm is also considered.
The success rate of a reversal procedure can be impacted by the type of procedure that was done. If rings or clips were used to tie your tubes, this type of procedure is usually easier to reverse than procedures in which the tubes were burned. Even if your tubes were burned, the procedure may be reversible if there’s enough healthy tube left for your doctor to reattach.

How Soon Can I Get Pregnant After Tubal Reversal?

If you had a tubal ligation that was done to prevent pregnancy, your fallopian tubes were cut, tied, or burned to stop an egg from being fertilized. It’s not uncommon for women to feel differently after some time has passed, and if you have changed your mind about wanting to prevent pregnancy, it may be possible to reverse this procedure and unblock the egg’s path. 

When women consider having a reversal procedure, it’s common for them to ask, “What are the chances of getting pregnant after tubal reversal?” The Center for Reproductive Health provides compassionate support to couples who are exploring their options.

Factors To Consider

The chances of pregnancy after a tubal reversal can range from around 50% to 80%. There are several factors to consider that help determine whether you’re a good candidate. One of the most important factors is your age. Your chance of getting pregnant decreases as you get older. The best candidates are typically women under the age of 40 who had their tubes tied right after having a baby.

The type of tubal ligation you previously had done and how much tube is left are other important factors to consider. Your doctor needs enough healthy tube(s) to be able to reconnect them. If your tubes were tied using rings or clips, this type of procedure is easier to reverse than if electrocautery was used to burn your fallopian tubes.

Your Overall Health

To find out if you’re a good candidate, your doctor will do a thorough review of your medical history including your history of pregnancies and pelvic surgeries. Blood tests and imaging tests may be ordered. Conditions that contribute to infertility such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and uterine fibroids can affect whether this procedure is likely to be successful. Other health conditions such as heart problems or autoimmune diseases can also affect your ability to have a tubal reversal followed by a successful pregnancy.

Your Partner

Your partner’s overall health and the health of his sperm can also affect your chances of getting pregnant after tubal reversal. A sperm count and semen analysis may be done before having a tubal reversal to determine the quality and quantity of your partner’s sperm. If there are issues with your partner’s sperm or any other reasons that tubal reversal isn’t right for you, you may want to consider in vitro fertilization (IVF). Undergoing IVF may be a better choice than tubal reversal for women over the age of 40.

Getting Pregnant After Tubal Reversal

Your doctor lets you know how long after a tubal reversal you should wait before trying to get pregnant. Women who are able to conceive after tubal reversal usually do so within the first year or two after the procedure.

A tubal reversal isn’t a guarantee of attaining a successful pregnancy, and there are other options to consider. Highly trained and experienced specialists are available at The Center for Reproductive Health who want to help you reach your goal of having a baby. Schedule a consultation today.

If you made a decision to have your tubes tied, but years later decide you’d like to have a baby, you may be able to have tubal reversal surgery. A tubal ligation clamps or seals the fallopian tubes to prevent pregnancy. Tubal reversal surgery rejoins the part of the fallopian tube that was previously clamped so that an egg can pass through.

How long does it take tubes to heal after tubal reversal surgery? It’s natural to have questions about how soon you recover from this type of procedure so you can return to your normal routine. The team at the Center for Reproductive Health is available to help you understand what’s involved in tubal reversal surgery and how long it takes to recover.

Am I A Candidate?

Before having tubal reversal surgery, your doctor evaluates your overall health and the likelihood that reversing your tubal ligation will allow you to successfully conceive. Some of the factors considered include:

• Your age
• The type of surgery you had done
• How much fallopian tube is undamaged
• Whether you have any gynecological disorders such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease or fibroids

Your doctor also considers whether you have any autoimmune diseases that might affect pregnancy. The health of your partner’s sperm is also considered before performing this procedure. If you’re not a good candidate for this procedure, IVF is another option that may help you to have a baby.

The Procedure

A tubal reversal is an outpatient procedure that usually takes about two or three hours. You’re asleep during the procedure and won’t feel any pain. After the procedure, you’ll stay at the medical facility for a couple of hours. You may have nausea and discomfort at first and your doctor may prescribe medication to help control side effects of the procedure.

Recovering From Tubal Reversal

Recovery time can vary from one woman to another. You may have some pain and tenderness around the incision site and the incision site needs to remain clean and dry to promote optimal healing. Most women can resume normal daily activities in a week or two. During the first month after surgery, you should avoid lifting anything over 20 pounds. You can resume having sex two or three weeks after the procedure. 

A post-op visit is scheduled after the procedure. At this visit, your doctor checks to make sure your healing is progressing as expected.

Pregnancy After Tubal Reversal

The hope is that having a tubal reversal gives you a good chance of having a healthy pregnancy. Many women go on to conceive within a year of a tubal reversal. Age is an important factor in your ability to get pregnant after this procedure. Success is affected by the type of tubal ligation you originally had done, the amount of tube that’s left and the experience level of your surgeon.

The experts at the Center for Reproductive Health work closely with you to answer any questions you may have about recovering from tubal reversal surgery and things you may be able to do to help fertility. Schedule a consultation today.

Women who have their tubes tied believe they won’t want more children. Many find after some time passes that they’d like to have the procedure reversed so they can try to get pregnant. If you’re considering a tubal ligation reversal, you probably have a lot of questions such as “How is a tubal ligation reversal done?”  At the Center for Reproductive Health, expert microsurgical techniques are used in a state-of-the-art facility to reverse all types of tubal ligations. 

Determining if You’re a Good Candidate

Before having the procedure, your doctor evaluates whether you’re a good candidate for the procedure. One of the most important considerations is your age since women over 40 may not have good egg quality. The health of your partner’s sperm is considered as well as the type of tubal ligation that was done, how much healthy tube remains and whether you have other problems that may make getting pregnant difficult such as uterine fibroids or endometriosis.

Surgical Procedure

A tubal ligation reversal is an outpatient procedure that usually takes a couple of hours. You should be able to go home the same day. General anesthesia is administered so you’ll be asleep during the procedure. A minilaparotomy is done, which means an incision is made just below the pubic hair line and above the pubic bone so that your surgeon can access your fallopian tubes. Special magnifying glasses are used to allow the surgeon to clearly visualize the tubes.

Microsurgical techniques are used to remove the damaged portion of your fallopian tubes along with any clips or bands that may have been used to block the tubes and the blocked ends of each tube is opened carefully. Once the damaged segments have been removed, the open ends of the tubes can be reattached using tiny sutures in the middle layer of each tube. This is done to prevent the formation of scar tissue on either the inside or outside of the tube. Sterile dye is run through the tubes to make sure the reattachment has been successful.

Laparoscopic Surgery

Another approach to tubal ligation reversal is done by using a robotically assisted laparoscopic technique. Using this approach, a fiber optic camera is inserted through a tiny incision to allow the surgeon to view the tubes. The surgeon is able to get a three dimensional view of the area and can instruct the robot in performing the tubal reversal. The use of a robot provides stability and prevents any shaking of the hands, and the fiber optic camera provides an enhanced view.

Once the tubes have been reattached, incisions are closed using dissolvable sutures. A bandage is placed over the surgery site. You remain in recovery for an hour or more and then you’ll be able to go home.

Your surgeon provides clear instructions on what to expect during the recovery period. You may have to avoid sex and heavy lifting for a few days, and you may be able to conceive in a year or two after surgery. To find out whether a tubal ligation reversal is a good option for you, reach out to the experts at the Center for Reproductive Health. 

Tubal reversal is a procedure that’s done to reverse a tubal ligation, which is usually done as a permanent birth control method. Women sometimes change their minds after having their tubes tied and decide they want to have a baby. Fertility experts at the Center for Reproductive Health can answer your questions about tubal reversal. One of the most commonly asked questions is “How soon can you have intercourse after tubal reversal?”

What to Expect After Tubal Reversal

A tubal reversal is usually done as an outpatient procedure. At the Center for Reproductive Health, the procedure usually lasts one to two hours, and the average time spent in the recovery room after surgery is around an hour.

Each woman is different, and your surgeon provides instructions on how soon you can resume normal activities. There may be some discomfort the first week and your doctor may prescribe pain medication to help control the pain for the first few days. It’s important to rest as much as possible during the first two or three days after surgery.

In most cases, women are able to resume some of their ordinary daily activities within a week after surgery. It’s usually recommended that you wait at least two to three weeks after surgery before resuming intercourse. Some women prefer to wait a month or longer because they’re experiencing reduced energy levels.

When Can I Try to Get Pregnant After Tubal Reversal?

Your doctor provides detailed instructions about resuming intercourse and about how long you should wait before trying to conceive. Women are usually advised to wait at least two menstrual cycles after surgery before trying to get pregnant.

Women who undergo tubal reversal have approximately 50 to 80 percent chance of attaining pregnancy. The younger you are, the better your chances of attaining pregnancy without additional fertility treatments. The chance of successfully attaining pregnancy after tubal reversal if you’re over 40 is around 30 to 40 percent.

There are many factors to consider before you decide to have a tubal reversal. Your age and the likelihood that you’ll be able to conceive are among the most important factors your doctor will consider when deciding if you’re a good candidate for a tubal reversal. Your doctor also evaluates the type of surgery that was done and how much healthy tubing is left that can be reconnected. Your partner’s sperm quantity and quality is also evaluated.

What Other Options Do I Have?

If you’re not considered a good candidate for tubal reversal, that doesn’t mean there’s no hope of conceiving a child. In vitro fertilization may be a better option for you if there’s a problem with your partner’s sperm or you’re over 40 or you have any condition that contributes to infertility such as pelvic inflammatory disease, uterine fibroids or endometriosis.

The team at the Center for Reproductive Health provides compassionate support to couples struggling with infertility. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions you have about tubal reversal or other forms of infertility treatment. Schedule a consultation today.

A tubal ligation prevents pregnancy by blocking or sealing the fallopian tubes so that eggs can’t pass through them. It’s intended to be a permanent form of birth control, but some women find that they want to try to conceive even though they previously had their tubes tied.

If you had a tubal ligation but decide you want to have the procedure reversed, this may be possible by having tubal reversal surgery. In this procedure, which is also called tubal reanastomosis, the blocked segments of the fallopian tubes are rejoined to allow eggs to pass through. If you’re considering this procedure, it’s natural to want to know what to expect after tubal reversal surgery.

Before the Procedure

Before the procedure is done, your doctor determines if you have a good chance of getting pregnant if the procedure is reversed. Several different factors are considered such as your age, your body mass index (BMI) and whether there are any problems that might cause infertility such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids. The type of tubal ligation that was done is also considered along with whether there’s enough healthy fallopian tube segments left to successfully reconnect. The health of your partner’s sperm is also considered,

The Procedure

This type of surgery is an outpatient procedure that usually takes about two to three hours. The blocked ends of the fallopian tubes are opened and reconnected. Dye is run through the tubes to confirm that the tubes are open. You’ll stay in the hospital for an hour or two after surgery and then you’ll be able to go home. You may have some discomfort at the incision site and you may have to rest for a week or two after surgery before returning to work.

Pregnancy After Tubal Reversal

Talk to your doctor about how soon you can start trying to get pregnant again after the incision has healed. Some women are able to conceive within a few months after surgery while others may take a year or more. There’s no guarantee that having a tubal reversal will result in a successful pregnancy, but women under the age of 35 have between 50 and 80 percent chance of becoming pregnant within the first two years after this type of surgery.  Your chance of getting pregnant decreases with age and is typically less than 50 percent if you’re over the age of 40. 

There’s a slightly increased risk of having an ectopic pregnancy once you’ve had this type of surgery. This means the fertilized egg could implant in the fallopian tube rather than the uterus.

Working With a Fertility Specialist

Tubal reversal may allow you to attain pregnancy without using fertility drugs. In vitro fertilization is another option that may help you to get pregnant after having your tubes tied. The best way to decide which is the best option for you is by talking to the fertility experts at the Center for Reproductive Health. Schedule an appointment for a consultation today.

The average age of planning to get pregnant is increasing. Fertility is at its peak during a time when many women aren’t ready to think about having a baby. Different women have different reasons for wanting to postpone pregnancy such as being focused on their careers or their education or feeling like they haven’t found their life partner. Many women don’t realize that the passage of time can make it more difficult to get pregnant. At what age does fertility decline?

Peak Fertility

Fertility is the ability to get pregnant, and it’s at its peak in your late teens through your twenties. Fertility starts to decline by the age of 30 and by the time you’re 35, fertility is rapidly decreasing. The reason this happens is because women are born with all the eggs they’ll have during their lifetime. One or more eggs is lost every month during menstruation. 

Women who are interested in getting pregnant at a later age such as 40 to 45 have a much lower supply of eggs than they started with, and the quality of the remaining eggs has declined. By the mid-40s, many of the eggs that remain have chromosomal abnormalities. Because of these abnormalities, the eggs may not allow fertilization and if a woman does conceive, she’s at high risk of miscarriage.

Declining Egg Quality

As you get older, your remaining number of eggs continues to decrease because losing eggs is part of the aging process. The rate that eggs decline varies from one woman to another. Age isn’t the only reason this happens. Both genetics and environmental factors can affect this rate of decline.

Throughout a woman’s life, medical conditions and lifestyle choices may have an impact on egg quality. Exposure to cigarette smoke and environmental toxins can damage eggs and cause them to decline rapidly. Heavy alcohol consumption and obesity may also affect egg quality.

Men and Fertility

You may have heard of men who father children well into old age, but that’s not common. Men aren’t born with all their sperm. Instead they continue to produce fresh sperm each day. That doesn’t mean that a man’s age has no impact on pregnancy, because men who are over the age of 40 to 45 may produce fewer healthy sperm than a younger man. Men over the age of 40 may have a harder time successfully fathering a child that they would at a younger age.

Your Biological Clock

As you age, so do your ovaries and your eggs. Women who want to postpone pregnancy should recognize that their best chance of having a healthy pregnancy is before the age of 35.  If you want to postpone pregnancy later than that, consider freezing your eggs. By doing this, your eggs stay as healthy as possible rather than continuing to age and may be able to be used later when you’re ready to try to have a baby.

Get in touch with the experts at the Center for Reproductive Health to learn more about how aging contributes to declining fertility and to find out how to give yourself the best chance of having a healthy pregnancy.

If you’re struggling with infertility, it’s natural to want to explore every possible method of improving your chances of conceiving a child. There’s no one food that can magically correct problems with infertility, but foods and lifestyle choices can have a significant impact on reproductive health, and this is true for both men and women. Spend some time considering your food choices. What foods help with fertility?

Complex Carbs

Complex carbohydrates are those that contain fiber, such as beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. They’re digested slowly and which means that blood sugar is affected gradually, and they help you to feel full longer. Including complex carbs in your diet is a much healthier choice than carbs that are highly processed such as white sugar and white rice. Refined carbs can cause spikes in blood sugar and insulin, and high insulin levels may inhibit ovulation.

Fruits and Vegetables

Include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Whole foods are nutrient rich and are full of vitamins and minerals that the body needs. Choose fresh or frozen vegetables whenever possible rather than canned. Asparagus and kale are especially good choices since these vegetables include important nutrients that are essential to egg quality. 

Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cells. Excess free radicals can be produced in response to environmental stressors such as pollution and cigarette smoke, and this can lead to oxidative stress, which can negatively impact fertility. Berries such as strawberries and blueberries contain natural antioxidants, which can help to combat oxidative stress.

Seafood

Seafood that’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon is beneficial to your overall health, including your heart health and your reproductive health. Choose wild caught salmon whenever possible to avoid high mercury levels and food dyes that may be toxic. Oysters are another example of seafood that’s loaded with nutrients that are important for being able to conceive and to have a healthy pregnancy, such as zinc, vitamin B12 and iron.

Healthy Fats

Make sure your diet includes healthy fats from sources such as avocados, nuts and olive oil. Healthy fats can help to reduce inflammation, which may help to improve fertility. Monounsaturated fats from plant sources may lead to improved results from IVF.

Some fats aren’t as healthy as monounsaturated fats. Trans fats found in processed foods, margarine and French fries can have a negative effect on your health, and when trans fat intake is too high, it may contribute to infertility. Limit your intake of trans fats and whenever possible, replace trans fats with healthier fats such as canola oil, corn oil or olive oil.

Making healthy food choices is one thing you can do to try to help improve your fertility, but keep in mind that there are many possible causes of infertility and not all of them can be corrected with making better lifestyle choices. Reach out to the fertility experts at the Center for Reproductive Health to learn more about what foods help with fertility and to give yourself the best chance of having a successful pregnancy.