IVF After Tubal Ligation: What You Need to Know

There are approximately 700,000 tubal ligations performed every year. It’s also known as “getting your tubes tied” and is one of the most common forms of female birth control.

The statistics on the other side are also impressive. 10-15% of couples have fertility issues. There are many options to help, and IVF or in vitro fertilization accounts for 1.6% of all live births.

What if a woman changes her mind? Can she get help getting pregnant after having her tubes tied?

Read on to learn about everything you need to know about receiving IVF after tubal ligation.

What Does It Involve?

Tubal ligation involves cutting, tying, or blocking the fallopian tubes. This blocks the sperm from reaching and fertilizing an egg.

Getting pregnant with IFV is possible because the egg bypasses the fallopian tube. They can still reach the uterus if they’re harvested and fertilized in a lab. A woman can also freeze her eggs before tubal ligation to be used later.

The IVF procedure is non-invasive and involves four important stages.

The first is ovarian stimulation. This involves taking a regiment of fertility medications to encourage egg growth.

The next step is retrieval. The woman gets a shot of hormones to stimulate the release of mature eggs, which are then collected.

The gathered eggs are then fertilized with sperm in a lab. If they’re viable, they’re transferred into the uterus to hopefully begin a pregnancy. 

What Are the Benefits and Challenges of IVF After Tubal Ligation?

There are several reasons that getting IVF after tubal ligation may be a better option than trying to get pregnant naturally. The tubal stumps could be too short or scarred to reconnect. There may also be male or female fertility issues such as:

• Endometriosis
• Pelvis adhesions
• Low sperm count or motility

There are potential side effects such as headaches, mood swings, and bloating. It also increases the likelihood of multiple births.

IVF makes it possible to get pregnant after tubal ligation, but it’s not the best option for everyone. The IVF success rate decreases after the age of 43, and it’s not recommended for women with poor egg quality or reserve.

What Are The Other Options?

IVF is not your only option to get pregnant after tubal ligation. Before you make your decision, consider the differences between IVF vs tubal reversal.

Tubal reversal undoes the birth control effects that tubal ligation provides. It’s a more invasive process than IVF. It takes longer to get pregnant afterward because the woman needs to undergo a three-month recovery period. It also increases the risk of an ectopic pregnancy.

Talk to a professional at a tubal ligation reversal center in Florida to decide which option is right for you.

What Else Do I Need to Know?

Your family planning decisions don’t have to be permanent. Getting IVF after tubal ligation is a non-invasive and effective way to have a child. There are also other options such as a tubal reversal surgery. 

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