I Had a Tubal Ligation: Am I a Candidate for IVF?

When you chose to undergo a tubal ligation, you may have thought you didn’t ever want to have kids. But recently, you’ve changed your mind and you would like to have a child. 

While you might be able to achieve your family planning goals through tubal ligation reversal surgery, in vitro fertilization (IVF) provides an excellent alternative solution — one that comes with a myriad of helpful benefits.

At Effortless IVF in Bedford and Fort Worth, Texas, infertility and IVF specialists Dr. Kevin Doody and Dr. Kathleen Doody can help you along your IVF journey after you’ve received a tubal ligation in the past. Here’s what you should know. 

How IVF is still an option after tubal ligation

Even if you’ve received a tubal ligation, IVF remains a feasible path toward pregnancy — one that doesn’t require you to undergo an invasive tubal reversal procedure. 

With tubal ligation, the ends of the fallopian tubes are cut and then tied together, preventing the release of any eggs into your uterus each month, and thereby preventing the possibility of a natural pregnancy.  

With IVF, healthy eggs are harvested from your ovaries and then fertilized in our lab. When a fertilized egg develops into a viable, healthy embryo, we insert it into your uterus. Given that the IVF process bypasses the cut fallopian tubes completely, you’re still a candidate for IVF if you’ve had a tubal ligation.

Benefits of choosing IVF after a tubal ligation

When choosing between IVF and tubal ligation reversal surgery, it is important to consider the many additional benefits you stand to gain with IVF:

Higher success rate for pregnancy

If we harvest your eggs when you’re still at an age where your eggs are likely to be healthy, IVF typically results in a higher success rate for pregnancy. 

Avoid an invasive surgery

With IVF, you can skip undergoing invasive surgery, which carries its own inherent risks and can sometimes increase the chances of suffering an ectopic pregnancy. 

Become pregnant sooner

Undergoing IVF takes around two months to induce pregnancy: One month to prepare for IVF, and another to go through the IVF process. Tubal reversal, however, requires three months of recovery before you can find out if the procedure was successful. 

Reduce your risk of an ectopic pregnancy

Following a tubal reversal surgery, you have a slightly higher risk of experiencing an ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when an embryo implants in the fallopian tubes rather than the uterus. 

An ectopic pregnancy can’t be moved to the uterus, and always requires treatment (medication or surgery) to resolve. If it ruptures, it can cause major internal bleeding that’s considered a life-threatening emergency. 

Common challenges of undergoing IVF 

If you’re older, the IVF process can be a bit more demanding — starting around the age of 43, a woman’s IVF success rates begin to decline, sometimes requiring us to consider various treatment approaches before achieving viable, healthy embryos and a successful pregnancy.   

Additionally, the hormone injections you must receive in preparation for IVF can cause bothersome (although temporary) side effects like bloating, headaches, and mood swings. Less commonly, IVF may also result in multiple births. 

Undertaking the journey of IVF treatments, while exciting, also has its challenges. We’re here to help you every step of the way. Are you ready to start your IVF journey after receiving a tubal ligation? Call your nearest Effortless IVF clinic in Bedford or Fort Worth, Texas, today, or click online to schedule your visit any time.