IVF vs. Tubal Reversal - Factors to Consider in Making a Choice
Many women who have had a tubal ligation have been told it is a permanent form of birth control. When they change their minds about wanting another child, their doctors usually counsel having an in vitro fertilization or IVF. What these women usually don’t know is that tying their tubes can be reversed with an operation. So you are left wanting to know about IVF vs. tubal reversal and which is best.
First, you need to understand that a tubal reversal is a surgical procedure. The surgeon will access your fallopian tubes. Hopefully, you will have carefully checked out the available surgeons and chosen a very experienced one who does the procedure on an outpatient basis such as Dr. Berger of Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center. There is little you will need to do to get ready for the surgery other than having your surgeon review the tubal ligation operative report. It’s best to check with the surgeon you choose to understand just what preparation you do need, however minimal.
Now let’s look at IVF in comparison. There are a lot of drugs that you have to get in order to stimulate your body’s egg production and also to keep it from going into ovulation prematurely. You will need to go to your doctor daily for a few days to receive each shot at the right time. Most require a few visits to complete the course for the drug. This is just the preparation part.
Next will be the removal of your eggs. Of course, the doctor will need to be sure of the right time to do so and will do this by monitoring to be sure to catch the eggs at the right time. Your system has been stimulated to produce many more eggs than normal. You will get another shot before ovulation is due. Then, when all is ready, the doctor will use a needle to remove the egg. Ouch again!
Once the eggs are withdrawn from your body, they will be fertilized and left to develop for some time in the lab after they reach the correct maturity. One reason they overstimulated your body to produce more eggs is so more than one can be put back into your body after fertilization. You will most likely get two or three. The rest will generally be frozen and can be used if this cycle does not produce a viable pregnancy. Oh, yes, and you get more injections.
Will all this be successful? That depends on several things which can include something as “simple” as how careful your doctor is and whether or not he rushed the implant procedure and if he put the embryo in a good place. At any rate, you will need more injections now to help sustain things and make your chances better. With all these shots, you should be aware that there are some dangers not only to you but to your child as well, if you should be lucky enough to carry to term. Look around the web to see what the potential dangers are from IVF.
Add to all of the above the success rates of each individual course of treatments. Depending upon where you look it is from a 10 - 30% chance you will get pregnant. Higher percentages for more embryos being implanted.
You will need to learn more about IVF in order to make the best decision but you can see that a tubal reversal surgery just might be a better choice. Starting with success rates for tubal reversal you will find it varies with the doctor you choose. Actually most will only give you the industry wide statistics because they don’t collect their own nor know them. However, when looking at a center such as Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center, you will find their success rates posted on their website. Overall the success rate for them for tubal reversals is 69%. Take a look at the charts to see where you with your specific circumstances fit in. But, barring any other problems, after the surgery you get to try and try again to conceive all for the same cost.
And that’s the last thing to cover. One session, or cycle, of IVF will cost on average $10,000 to $12,000 with most patients being told to expect to undergo at least three cycles. That’s like $30,000 or more. Some doctors charge even more. Now compare that to the average cost of a tubal reversal which is $8,000 to $9,000 in the U.S. So what do you think about IVF vs. tubal reversal now? Which choice will be the best for you?
