We exclusively specialize in tubal repair and tubal reversal surgery at our specialty center and we are often seeing patients who have considered in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
Many of our patients have decided against in-vitro and some are choosing surgery because in-vitro did not work. Many of our patients have had appointments with IVF doctors and have been discouraged by these doctors when trying to discuss tubal reversal.
Recently an IVF doctor published a list of very heavily biased statements against choosing tubal reversal. The statements listed were labeled as facts. Many of these facts were not facts at all but, instead, biased opinions against tubal reversal.
All of the biased statements can be read in this first article, So Called ‘Facts’ About Tubal Ligation Reversal Surgery.
This article deals with the IVF doctor’s 7th statement.
A thorough evaluation for other infertility factors must be done before having a tubal reversal.
We have dedicated a blog series to correcting these biases.
What Tests Are Needed Before Tubal Reversal?
Most tubal reversal patients do not need any infertility tests before tubal reversal. This is because these patients have not had a history on infertility. On average most tubal reversal patients have had 2 or 3 children. Their history has demonstrated infertility has not been an issue.
When couples have in-vitro fertilization it is because the majority of these couples have not had any children because they often have medical conditions causing infertility. If a couple has not had children and have been trying to have children for several years without success then they need a thorough evaluation to determine the cause of their infertility.
If a couple comes for tubal reversal and she has three kids and he has two from a previous marriage then this couple would be wasting both their time and money with infertility tests. The cause of their infertility is tubal blockage from a tubal ligation and you don’t need a blood test to prove that.
Do You Need A Sperm Test Before Tubal Reversal?
Often we do see women who want tubal reversal to have a child with their partner who has not had a child before. It would be very reasonable to consider a semen analysis in this situation; however, it is important for patients to realize the chance any one man would have a seriously low sperm count is less than 5-8%. The chance of any man having no sperm at all would be less than 2%. A sperm test would be reasonable but not absolutely required.
Often we have patients come for tubal reversal even knowing their partner has a low sperm count because they realize they still have a chance to become pregnant and the reversal is more affordable than IVF. For these patients the semen test gave them a realistic expectation on what could happen after tubal reversal but it did not change their plans to have tubal reversal.
Recommended Tests Before Having Tubal Reversal
We don’t require our patients to have any infertility testing before having a tubal reversal. For optimal patient safety we do require a blood count to look for anemia and for the protection of our staff and other surgery patients we require testing for HIV and hepatitis. Patients who are over the age of 40 will consider a follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) test but we do not require this test be done.
Infertility Treatments
The IVF doctor claims it is a fact that before having a tubal reversal a thorough evaluation for infertility causes must be done.
This is not a fact but a heavily biased opinion which reflects a limited understanding of couples who desire tubal ligation reversal.
It is prudent for couples, who have no reason to explain their infertility, to undergo thorough testing before having expensive IVF treatments because these patients have unknown medical conditions which limit their ability to reproduce.
In regards to tubal reversal patients, the vast majority of these patients have blocked tubes and their infertility is often cured with tubal surgery.
Low Cost Tubal Reversal
For more information about a low cost tubal reversal please call
(919) 968-4656 and speak with a Tubal Reversal Nurse for a
free tubal reversal consultation.
The next article in this series deals with the IVF doctor’s eight biased statement against tubal reversal:
The Truth About Tubal Ligation Reversal Surgery.
