Can My Tubes be Untied?

woman wanting to get her tubes untied

Can My Tubes be Untied?

Untying your tubes – called a tubal ligation reversal – is possible, but the success of the procedure (aka, your ability to get pregnant afterward) depends on various factors.

Women planning to reverse your tubal ligation need a surgeon who is especially conscientious about completing the fallopian tube surgery with respect to their future fertility. We advise exploring the idea of having your tubes untied with your OB/GYN, and then schedule a consultation with a fertility specialist before moving forward.

We recommend you and your partner undergo a complete physical and a sperm analysis beforehand. You should only participate in an invasive surgical procedure if you feel comfortable with your chances of post-surgical success.

Factors Contributing to Tubal Ligation Reversal Success

Here are the most critical factors that determine whether or not we recommend a tubal ligation reversal.

Your age

It is no secret that age has a large impact on fertility. If you are 30 years old or younger, your doctor will feel more confident about the success of a tubal ligation than if you’re 38-years old or older. By age 38, egg viability quickly declines. We encourage patients to re-think tubal ligation reversal if post-surgical fertility chances are on the lower end of the spectrum.

The type of tubal reversal you had

Some tubal reversals are more easily reversed than others. Success rates cited in this post pertain to healthy couples, without diagnosable infertility factors.

  • Hulka or Filshie Clip (involving clipped/pinched tubes, rather than cut). These are the most successful type of tubal ligation to reverse because the surgeon simply removes the clips and re-attaches the healthy tube sections. Post-reversal success rates average around 85%.
  • Bipolar coagulation (Cauterization of the tubes). Also easier to reverse, women with reversed bipolar coagulation have roughly a 70% chance of pregnancy success.
  • Pomeroy procedure (removing a section of the tubes between two sutures). Because the remaining tube sections are largely intact, women with Irving Procedures also have a robust post-procedure pregnancy rate of nearly 70%.
  • Fimbriectomy (removing a section of the tubes closest to the ovary). This procedure has the least likely chances of reversal success. Your doctor will discuss IVF as a possible fertility treatment instead.

There are additional tubal ligation and blockage methods (such as Essure) used to prevent future pregnancy. Your physician will need to review the medical records from your tubal ligation to learn more about whether you’re a potential candidate for a successful un-tying of the tubes.

Amount of remaining healthy tube

Ultimately, the quantity of remaining portions of healthy fallopian tube tissue is the key to predicting the success of a tubal ligation reversal. The more healthy tube tissue remains, the better chance you have of getting pregnant after healing from the procedure.

Your weight and general physical health

Your general health and weight are also a factor. Existing health conditions (especially autoimmune disorders), as well as being overweight or obese, diminish the chances of reversal success.

Procedure costs and your budget

The surgery required to reverse a tubal ligation typically costs around $10,000. Insurance companies do not cover any portion of these costs. If your physician or fertility specialist feels you may also require fertility treatments afterward, you’d want to factor those expenses into the budget as well.

Financing may be available, but it’s good to have an idea of what your maximum budget would be so you can discuss that with your specialist.

IVF after tubal ligation as an alternative

Tubal ligation reversals are not guaranteed that they will work 100% of the time. More and more often women are choosing to go directly to IVF which may give them a better chance of a healthy baby, sooner.

The surgeons here at the Fertility Center of Dallas are experts at performing successful tubal ligation reversals for patients we’ve determined to be good candidates for the procedure. Contact us to learn more and to see if you are a good candidate for having your tubes untied.



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