Like many women who have had a tubal ligation, you may find yourself wanting a new baby. To change things you have to choose between tubal reversal and in vitro fertilization. No matter what made you change your mind, you have to decide which one is going to be the best for you. Following are some of the most asked questions.



1 - Usually a big one is why has my doctor never heard of tubal reversal? Why does he push in vitro fertilization? The answer to the second question is partially the answer to the first. He pushes IVF because he does not know about tubal reversals especially if he was educated and trained in the last 15 years or so. You just don't find this surgery being done in hospitals so doctors can't be trained in it. If they aren't trained, then many think that means it's not possible. Tubal reversals used to be the new and upcoming technique. Then IVF became the new and upcoming fertility technique and reversals fell out of favor. Why? Just look at the price tag difference and you'll know the answer to that.

2 - What are the cost and success rates of tubal reversal vs. IVF? Most doctors say to expect to need an average of 3 cycles of IVF at an average cost of $10,000 to $12,000 per cycle. Each cycle has a success rate of 10 to 30% and it depends upon the number of eggs implanted with the inherent problems to that. That doesn't even consider what IVF cycles do to your body. However, a tubal reversal averages $8,000 to $9,000 for a one time surgery. The best and most experienced tubal reversal doctor charges less than that. And the success rate averages 69% but that's from that doctor's website. You need to know what your surgeon's rates are.

3 - How does my age affect things? Well, the older you are the less likely you will get pregnant. After 40, it starts really going downhill but that doesn't mean it's a total wipe out. Using that leading doctor's published statistics, even a woman over 40 has a 41% chance with a tubal reversal. That still beats an IVF cycle. But if you're under 30, the chances are 82%.

4 - Does it matter how long it's been since my tubal ligation? In a manner of speaking, only as it applies to the question above. A 25 year old who had her tubes tied 5 years ago has a better chance than a 44 year old who had them done five years ago at 39.

5 - How long will my tubal reversal surgery be? Depends upon the surgeon you select. How often has he done the surgery in the last two years? Once? Then you can expect it to take a few hours. Or you could select someone like Dr. Berger who pioneered the outpatient procedure and who does it four times a day, five days a week. Can your doctor say that? It takes Dr. Berger, or his new associate Dr. Monteith, about one hour.

6 - My doctor does lots of other stuff (IVF or surgeries). How does that affect things? The simple answer is do you want a sometime tubal reversal doctor or one who does nothing but tubal reversals? Who is going to be more experienced at it and have seen everything under the sun? The one who does nothing but the one surgery. He has the experience and he has the knowledge. Do you want a part-timer?

There are more questions but this article is long enough. Get the answers to these questions for yourself. Then you can decide if IVF or tubal reversal is best for you. You can also decide which surgeon will be best to go with as well.