Pregnancy After Tubal Reversal

Before Surgery Day of Surgery After Surgery

When You Become Pregnant

Recovery Room nurses at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center are specially trained in tubal ligation reversal surgery.

Jan Hoyle, RN
Recovery Room Nurse

Part of our long-term follow-up care after your tubal reversal is monitoring your pregnancy along with you and your local physician.

It is important to follow our recommendations for monitoring your early pregnancy. We recommend biweekly (twice a week) quantitative serum HCG and progesterone assays. A vaginal ultrasound examination should be performed when your HCG reaches 1500. At this point, a uterine pregnancy will usually show a gestation sac within the uterus. If your US exam does not show the gestation sac, your HCG level and another vaginal ultrasound exam should be repeated in 2 or 3 days.

In a normally developing pregnancy, the serum HCG levels will double every 2 or 3 days until about 10 weeks from the last menstrual period. If the gestation sac is still not seen in the uterus when the serum level of HCG is above 1500, then a tubal pregnancy or a "blighted ovum" (abnormally developing uterine pregnancy) should be suspected.
Because of the increased risk of ectopic pregnancy following tubal surgery, it is important to notify us as soon as your pregnancy test is positive. A tubal pregnancy cannot lead to live birth and must be interrupted. By following our pregnancy monitoring protocol, a tubal pregnancy can be detected early in its development when it can be treated with medication (Methotrexate). Once the pregnancy is reabsorbed and a normal period follows, patients can try to conceive again. If a tubal pregnancy is allowed to progress without early diagnosis, it will eventually damage the fallopian tube and require surgical treatment, possibly involving removing the tube entirely. The main point about early pregnancy monitoring is to prevent a tubal pregnancy from progressing to the point of rupturing the fallopian tube. A ruptured fallopian tube causes internal bleeding and requires emergency surgery. Pain in one side of the lower abdomen or pelvis, abnormal spotting or bleeding, rising HCG and progesterone levels with failure to see a gestation sac in the uterus when the HCG levels are above 1500 are some of the warning signs of a tubal pregnancy with the risk of tubal rupture. Adhering to our recommendations for early pregnancy monitoring can prevent tubal rupture.

"Dear Dr. Berger, Here is a picture of another one of 'your kids' and our second baby after my tubal reversal." Read More

We want to be kept informed about your early pregnancy results. Your tubal reversal surgeon is available at any time by pager if you have questions or concerns. You can also reach our nurses seven days a week by e-mail or cell phone.

On our website you will find a Pregnancy Report Form. Please complete the form and submit it when you have a positive pregnancy test. If you do not hear back from us within 24 hours, please e-mail or call us at (919) 968-4656 or page your tubal reversal surgeon. We want to be sure we know about your pregnancy so we can assist you during this important time for you and your family!

Watch Video - Why Tubal Reversal?

Patients often have asked Dr. Berger what made him decide to specialize as a tubal reversal doctor. In this short video, Dr. Berger talks about his thoughts regarding tubal reversal surgery to help families have children and why he limits his practice to this operative procedure. During his years as an infertility specialist, Dr. Berger found that tubal reversal surgery was the most successful of all of the treatments available.