Though meant to be a permanent procedure, 25 percent of women who undergo tubal ligation later choose to reverse that decision. Changes such as divorce, remarriage or a death in the family can lead a woman to decide that she would like to add another child to her family after all. The procedure is a serious decision for anyone contemplating undergoing it, however, and there are several factors that should be considered first.
Instructions
1. Understand the risks and alternatives to tubal ligation reversal. There is no guarantee that you will get pregnant following a tubal ligation reversal. Factors such as age and the quality of the original tubal ligation come into play in your ability to get pregnant following a reversal. Women who undergo experience a higher rate of ectopic pregnancy. Reactions to the surgery include allergy to the anesthetic, internal or external bleeding, and damage to internal organs. Alternatives to tubal ligation reversal include in-vitro fertilization. This will involve a very high price and special hormone medications.
2. Determine eligibility for tubal ligation reversal. You will have to be examined by a fertility specialist. The fertility specialist will use a laparoscope to examine the fallopian tubes and look over the medical reports from the tubal ligation ceremony to see how the tubes were "tied." Factors such as how healthy the fallopian tubes are and the patient's health and age will be taken into account by the fertility specialist in determining whether the patient qualifies for a tubal ligation reversal.
3. Talk with your doctor to see if there are any specialists available to perform the tubal ligation reversal in your area. If there are not, the Chapel Hill Tubal Ligation Reversal Center accepts eligible patients from all over the country.
4. Discuss the procedure with the doctor who will be performing the tubal ligation reversal surgery. Depending on where the procedure is done, tubal ligation reversal can be be either an outpatient visit or an overnight stay. Outpatient visits are performed with microsurgical techniques and typically last no longer than an hour. These surgeries are done to reduce healing time, price and possible negative side effects of the surgery. Surgeries that are not done using microsurgical techniques last anywhere from two to three hours and will require an overnight stay in the hospital. Make certain that the doctor is prepared to offer the type of hospital experience that fits with your budget and the time you can allow yourself to recover. When talking to the doctor, make sure he explains how the procedure will be performed and with what type of instruments.
5. Make certain you have the money to cover the surgery. Costs for outpatient visits run as low as $5900 and overnight surgeries will cost much more, ranging from $10,000 to $30,000. Some insurances will pay for the procedure. If the insurance company says it will cover the procedure, it is best to get that promise in writing. If the insurance company won't pay for the procedure, some places will allow you to set up a payment plan.
6. Allow for plenty of vacation time following the surgery. Your body will need to heal.
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