What are the Pros and Cons of Reversing a Tubal Ligation?

The pros of reversing a tubal ligation include the potential for pregnancy to occur and the likelihood of a short hospital stay if the reversal is done with a laparoscope, which is usually a less invasive type of surgery. Some of the cons of reversing a tubal ligation typically include no guarantee that pregnancy will occur and a fairly extensive recovery period if surgery is not done laparoscopically. There is also a slightly increased chance of ectopic pregnancy occurring after a tubal ligation, which is the result of an egg attaching to the inside of the fallopian tubes rather than to the uterus. Tubal ligation reversal is also not generally an inexpensive procedure, and prices for the reversal in the United States typically range from $7,000 to $20,000 US Dollars (USD).

In the event that reversing a tubal ligation goes well and a woman's fallopian tubes are not too severely damaged after her initial tubal ligation, there is a chance she could become pregnant in the future, which is generally why most women undergo this procedure. The chances of conception occurring are typically greater in women less than the age of 35, and most women in this age range have up to a 75 percent chance of pregnancy occurring within one year after their tubal ligations are reversed. Many surgeries, including tubal ligation reversals, are also able to be performed with the use of a laparoscope, which normally cuts the length of a hospital stay as well as home recovery time in half.

Women who are more than age 35 generally have a reduced chance of becoming pregnant after reversing a tubal ligation. Most doctors advise women more than age 45 to explore other options outside of tubal ligation reversal for having a child because the success rate at this point is much lower. When a tubal ligation is reversed and isn't done laparoscopically, recovery time could be extensive, and a hospital stay of up to five to six days would not be unusual. It could also take up to three weeks of home recovery time before a woman is able to return to work after a reversal without the use of a laparoscope.

Ectopic pregnancy, also known as tubal pregnancy, can happen to any woman whether she has had tubal ligation or not, but the chances of this type of pregnancy occurring do slightly increase if a tubal ligation is reversed. These pregnancies are very dangerous for women and can cause permanent infertility as well as a variety of other problems if immediate treatment is not received. In addition to the risk of ectopic pregnancy, a tubal ligation reversal is generally thought to be an expensive procedure with no guarantee of a successful pregnancy resulting. A woman who is considering reversing a tubal ligation should carefully weigh the pros and cons and discuss the procedure and potential outcome in depth with her doctor before deciding whether it is a good option for her.