Pregnancy after Tubal Ligation

What is the success rate for tubal ligation reversal? What options for getting pregnant does a woman have if she's had a tubal ligation?

If you want to have children after having your tubes "tied," there are two ways to do it. You can have in vitro fertilization (IVF) by getting the eggs from your ovaries, fertilizing them in the laboratory, and then placing the embryos in the uterus. No major surgery is required, but there are a lot of shots and visits.

The other option involves an operation, with an overnight stay at the hospital, and a three-to-five week period of recovery at home. To see if surgery is possible, it is best for you to obtain the operative notes and pathology report from your tubal ligation operation, and take it to your initial visit with a fertility specialist.

The total cost of IVF is about $13,000, while the current cost of the reversal operation is about $9,000.

Which approach is best for you depends on your age, the type of tubal ligation you had, the quality of the partner's sperm, and your own preference.