Pregnancy Rates After Tubal Surgery
Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center specializes exclusively in tubal surgery. We do not perform in vitro fertilization (IVF). The majority of our patients come for reversal of tubal ligation, but we also treat patients for repair of blocked fallopian tubes.
This article examines pregnancy rates after tubal surgery for mildly and severely scarred fallopian tubes. We also provide a pregnancy rate comparison with IVF.
Infertility And Blocked Fallopian Tubes
Many couples will have trouble with becoming pregnant. As many as 12% of couples will suffer from infertility.
When infertility exists, 50% of the time is is a male related problem (low or absent sperm count) and 50% of the time it is a female related problem.
There are many causes of female infertility. A common cause can be from blocked fallopian tubes – either from tubal ligation or from scar tissue, most often resulting from a previous pelvic infection.
Tubal Surgery or IVF: Which Has Better Pregnancy Rate?
There are two main treatments for infertility due to blocked fallopian tubes: in vitro fertilization (IVF) and tubal surgery.
IVF Pregnancy Rates
IVF pregnancy rate data has previously been reported on in our blog series: average per cycle IVF pregnancy rate and IVF age dependent pregnancy rates. We also provide a comprehensive overview of IVF risk and benefits.
IVF data used in our series is from the latest available national statistics complied by the US Center for Disease Control (2006 Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Annual Report).
Cost of IVF And Pregnancy Rate
The average pregnancy rate per cycle of IVF in 2006 was 35%. The average cost for a cycle of IVF is $9-12,000.
Pregnancy Rates After Tubal Surgery
In 2008, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) published a review on the benefits of tubal surgery for infertility treatment. In this review, the infertility experts of ASRM support the use of tubal surgery as a treatment for infertility when the fallopian tubes are blocked.
ASRM identified the best candidates for tubal surgery as those who have tubal ligations or those with tubal blockage at a single point in the tube (either proximal blockage or distal blockage, ie hydrosalpinx). The ASRM also identified women younger than 35 as the more ideal candidates for tubal surgery; however, they also admit many social, religious, and economic factors may make tubal surgery a suitable option for women over the age of 35.
Pregnancy Rates And Tubal Disease
The ASRM states that tubal reversal pregnancy rates after tubal surgery range from 10-80%.
They group patients into two categories:
tubal surgery for tubal disease
tubal surgery for tubal ligation reversal
Tubal Surgery and Pregnancy Rates: Tubal Disease
Pregnancy rates for women who have tubal surgery for diseased fallopian tubes range between 10-and 60%. Diseased tubes are tubes which have closed as a result of scar tissue from a previous pelvic infection. Pregnancy rates after tubal surgery are dependent on the severity of scar tissue in the fallopian tube.
We have previously published on the risk and benefits of tubal surgery, as well as provide a comprehensive overview on how to schedule tubal surgery.
Pregnancy Rates After Tubal Surgery for….
Mild Tubal Disease | 5-8% chance of pregnancy each month.
Severe Tubal Disease | 1% chance of pregnancy each month.
Tubal Surgery and Pregnancy Rates After Sterilization Reversal
Pregnancy rates for women who have tubal reversal surgery are between 40-80%. After tubal surgery for reversal of tubal ligation, women have between 8-10% chance of becoming pregnant each month. Our 2007 Pregnancy Study Report has comprehensive statistics about the pregnancy rate after tubal ligation reversal.
Tubal Surgery or IVF ?
This is a very personal and serious decision a couple with infertility will have to make. Many times the decision is based on both cost and chance of success. Often the number of additional children, as well as, social and religious concerns will also influence the choice of treatment.
If one looks at just cost and chance of success:
IVF | 35% chance of success each attempt. Cylce cost range from $9-12,000 per each try.
Tubal Surgery for Diseased Tubes | 1-8% chance of success each month after surgery. Tubal surgery at our center $5,400-$5,900.
Tubal Surgery for Sterilization Reversal | 8-10% chance of success each month after surgery. Tubal surgery at our center $5,400-$5,900.
May 31st, 2009 at 6:03 pm
I had reversal of burnt tubes and cut tubes after 15 yrs of TL. We are actively still trying to concieve. We pray this is the month. God help us. Thank you Dr Berger.
May 15th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Dear Love,
We recommend you send any records you have pertaining to your tubal ligation and tubal infections that resulted. We will have Dr. Berger review them for you so he may give you a more accurate prognosis for possible tubal repair.
Thank you,
Jennifer Okun, R.N.
May 15th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
I had the Essure procedure done in September 2004. At the time I thought I was ready to not have anymore children. I am 27 years old now and in a different family situation. I have had tubel infections from the Essure and am allergic to the nickel that is in the devices. If I have a tubal reversal procedure done, do I have any chances of getting pregnant once again?
May 14th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
RENEE – You can certainly have a tubal reversal, and it is the best option. Here is a link to the information about tubal reversal cost at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center. One of our nurses will contact you by email, and you can also call (919) 968-4656 for a free consultation with a Tubal Reversal Nurse.
May 14th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
I am 35 yrs old with a 16 yr old daughter. I had my tubes tied, cut , and burnt (so the dr said) about 15 yrs ago. He even said he took a piece out?
A few yrs ago I met a wonderful army man and we married!!! He is quite a bit younger then me! He wrote me today saying he prays we can have a baby. He said he knows it’s up to god in the end but he dosen’t have any children and pray we can have a baby together.
What are our options? What is the cost ?
I live in ky. my email is realrenee01@yahoo.com
thanks to anyone who can help!!!!
April 27th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
DEBRA – This is a bipolar method of tubal sterilization. Three burns is the standard approach with bipolar coagulation. The outlook is generally very good after reversing bipolar tubal ligation. Pregnancy rates after tubal reversal are associated with age.
April 27th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
I am concerned that a severly burned tube will have a low chance of repair and want the truth on the subject. I have had a tubal ligation using electric cauterization kleppinger method… three burns. I had no children was age 21 and had two abortions as a teenager and decided on this unfortunate choice. Now 35 and married 5 years, I want to try to have a child. My husband is a veteran Marine and he and I are longing to have a baby soon.
April 16th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
[...] Pregnancy rates after repair of damaged fallopian tubes [...]
March 31st, 2009 at 7:49 am
The supportive recommendations of the ASRM for tubal reversal surgery should help in getting “the word out” to women who usually hear only about IVF. Thanks for making this information available.
March 31st, 2009 at 4:15 am
With a pregnancy rate of 10% per month, Tubal reversal surgery out passes IVF (at 35%) after only 4 months. It clearly gives patients a much higher chance of pregnancy.
March 31st, 2009 at 3:31 am
Hello, I am so excited to get this hope of having another child underway. My husband has a gleam in his eye every time I speak of having our first child together. He is 46 soon to be 47 and has never fathered a child. He is so very happy just the hope and dream of looking at his first child is a dream of his and I pray to God it is God’s will for us to have this child. We can only pray it is God will for us to have this child.
I only hoped when I contacted the Dr who did my tubaligation that the news would be positive and I have never been so happy to hear my phone ring at such a early hour as I was the morning the Dr’s office called me to return my request for my operative report.
My tubaligation was a Pomaroy Tubligation. I am thankful the girl in the office was so helpful with getting my Operative Report back to me so soon.
We will be going for the test on both my husband and myself. I will keep you posted.
Pray for us that it is God’s will for this child to be born into our family.
March 30th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
After reading this article it would seem that whenever possible that tubal reversal surgery is the better choice.