FAQS

“Yes. However, your success is dependant on a few factors, including your ovarian reserve. For this, your doctor will need to perform an ovarian reserve test to measure your fertility and your ability to get pregnant. The other determinant is how and where you tubal ligation was performed (cutting and tying only, using electrical charge to divide the tubes or both, using placement of clips, where on the tube the division was perfomed and how much tube was left). I recommend you see a fertility specialist to make these determinations.”

“Yes. What is possibly equally or more important than the type of tubal ligation you had (e.g., whether the tube was tied, burned or both) and how much tube is left to reconnect, relates to your age. Overall fertility declines with age, with a slow decline from age 30-35 and a more significant decline to age 40 and steep decline thereafter.”

“Yes, it is possible for the tubes to recanalize. If you think you are pregnant, see your doctor ASAP to obtain a pregnancy blood test.”

“I am not clear what your question is? If you tubes were clamped or cut, whether there is scar tissue or not, you still may be a candidate for a tubal reversal. However, you also wrote I assume regarding your tubes, “now that they have been removed.” If your tubes were removed, your only option is In Vitro Fertilization.”

“Sprintec is otherwise known as Ortho-tricyclen, a birth control formulation, but I am not aware of it causing infertility.”

I would guestimate the answer is virtually zero. If you had a tubal ligation 5 years ago, the chance of recanalization (reconnecting of the severed tubal ends on their own) of the tube after the tubes have been tied is very unlikely. On the other hand, if you are really asking what your chances are at becoming pregnant after your tubal ligation is reversed, the answer would be, quite good assuming no other new fertility issues popped up since you had the ligation.

Certainly age does impact overall results and soon to be 40 emphasizes that notion. However, 40 is not 42 or 45, which means you can undergo tests that enable the doctor to prognosticate whether your biologic age and reproductive potential either parallels, is younger or older than your chronologic age compared to other women of similar age. Another factor in your history, which can be considered a good prognosticator, is your presumed previous history with live births; based on your comment about “been quite fertile in the past”. Studies show that women who are older and have had children before may not be clinically similar to women of the same age who have never had children; namely the former have a better prognosis. Finally, tubal reversal is one option but another would be IVF. I suggest speaking to a specialist like myself to present these options in greater detail.

Yes, you can become pregnant with a tubal ligation if you are using an In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) procedure. IVF is a process that involves removing your eggs from your ovaries, then stimulating and fertilizing them in a laboratory. Because stimulation and fertilization is taking place outside of your body, your tubes are not involved. Another possible option is have a tubal reversal. I suggest you have a consultation with a specialist like myself to discuss these options in detail.

It depends on you and your partner’s history, but in vitro fertilization (IVF) probably remains a viable option.
I would encourage you to have a consultation with an experienced/accredited fertility specialist.