posted
We have been considering IVF after 3 years of TTC, doctors appts, and so on since TR with no ongoing pregnancy. I am still hesitant though because I really believe in the survival of the fittest. I don't feel comfortable getting in the way of a process that nature took millions of years to perfect! I just saw a study that said babies born of IVF are more likely to have birth defects which only cements my opinion!
We have been seeing an RE for 2 years and he is insistent that IVF is our only alternative. However instead of going that route we decided to go to a Urologist that specializes in male fertility to see if can improve things on my husband's part and what she had to say was promising. She says that sperm collection must be done on premises instead of our RE telling us we had 30 minutes to get the sample to the lab (she says 10 minutes for best results). We had been collecting at home thinking we could get a better sample - with our motility and counts low almost every time.
She also said that anything less that 5 million sperm post wash is not likely to yield a pregnancy and this invalidates at least 3 IUI's we attempted in the last year. She also thinks my husband could have a hormone imbalance and ordered a battery of tests. We seem to have good numbers at certain times of the year and low sperm counts at others which in her opinion is a red flag - one not caught by our RE who insists that IUI is the treatment for male fertility problems so it doesn't matter if there is one. Except is drastically lowers our chance of success!!!!
I am wondering if success was what they wanted with the IUI in the first place?
We had to find the urologist ONLINE, OURSELVES. Our RE - one of the best in the state, never even suggested we see a male specialist. After all the injections, the medications, the monitoring, the $1000's of dollars in medications and the heartache - there was something we could have done to vastly improve our results. To say I am flabbergasted is an understatement. These specialists only want to do IVF and there is another way. Not to even mention that some of these problems my husband may have could cause further - nonfertility related - problems in the future.
Dr. Berger and Dr. Monteith thank you for your work in this area. There is so much left to do though to enlighten fertility specialists who are so incredibly negative about using TR for the best possible baby!
posted
Ladies, thanks for chiming in with your personal stories. It is unbelievable that so many women are misinformed about tubal reversal. These blogs are so great, because they bring a new light to having your tubes reversed and the high pregnancy rate that goes along with it. I wish you all the best in the New Year!
posted
I am glad to read the blog post. Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center conducted the most comprehensive study done to date of tubal reversal surgery and its resulting outcomes, showing that for the majority of women who have undergone a tubal ligation procedure and decide later they would like to have more children, tubal reversal surgery is a better option than in vitro fertilization (IVF).
The results were clear – across all ages of women included, our results with tubal reversal surgery led to higher numbers of pregnancies and live births than standard IVF procedures. Besides having higher success rates, the one-hour outpatient procedure is less than half the cost of an IVF cycle. When the tubal reversal statistics from Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center were compared with the latest national IVF statistics, pregnancy and birth rates after tubal reversal were higher than after IVF in every age group.
At the conclusion of the study interval, 69 percent of the women in Dr. Berger’s study had reported pregnancies. The pregnancy rate ranged from 82 percent for women under 30 to 41 percent for women 40 years of age and older. The highest pregnancy rate (87 percent) was among women age under 30 after reversal of a previous ring or clip method of sterilization. Nationally, pregnancy rates for IVF are around 27% and the cost per cycle averages $8000 - $15,000.
posted
My story is very similar to mommeeof3- I had my tr 3/07 and I got pg 7/07 but m/c. I tried for several more months to get pg but also went to an RE to find out why I m/c (that was my 4th loss- I had 3 losses previously). While at the RE I learned about IVF which I had never considered. We ended up going through the process and I am now 25w pg.
For me- TR was also not about getting pg. but about being a whole person. I never expected for a TL to effect me emotionally the way that it did and the TR changed that whether or not I ever was lucky enough to experience pregnancy again. I have no regrets about my TR and knowing what I know now, still would have done it in a heartbeat.
posted
Yes same here.I was also told that there TR would never be successful,That i should definatley go with invetro. I had gottenpregn eight days after surgery which resulted in mc due to inflamtion and that blocked teh left tube.Then i tired again in april and got pregnant with Noah who was born jan 2nd .Then i tried again in dec wehn my husb got back from iraq adn were preg with tubal reversal baby two even though he has served me with devorce papers now and our marriage is over for those of you who read all that. BUt it does work .......im proof. The ob told mje monday that the left side which was my blocked side is the side with the pregnancy cyst where the egg would have been released from.Which i thougth was odd since they told me it was blocked she said it was prob unblocked or she said very very few times the bad side can become the dominate side thoug h she said that is very ver y rare so its obvious the lord wanted this baby here.Im just praying ican keep my child i dunno how iwill do it with no family no one to help me nothing i need someone tohelp me raise this baby and my son ........im praying ica n find some good roomates or families that will help.
posted
Tubal Reversal is a great option if your not in a position to do IVF or if you don't feel you can take the risks of IVF. My dh was opposed to IVF because we already had other children, and didn't want to risk the possibilities of high-multiples and the cost was a factor as well. While it was important to him to have another child, we preferred a more traditional, private approach.
It's wonderful that couples have all the options in the world to conceive! Thankfully CH offers an alternative to IVF for those who don't or can't choose IVF.
Good luck to all the ladies ttc whichever route you go!
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MOMMEEOF3 Congrats!!! I wish you a great PG. I should also add this my DR suggested because of our ages if we were to try again he would suggest IVF so they could be sure to plant healthy eggs. But if we decide to try again it'll be the old fashioned way.
posted
I think tr and ivf are both wonderful. I did tr first to end up with ectopic and after months of ttc that's all I got. To me with ivf you have 2 be a good candidate 4 it. I did it once transferred 2 eggs and I am currently 15weeks pregnant with twins.I don't regret either decision that I made cause the tr was about being whole again and that's how I feel WHOLE! We try and we get errors. I wish you all happiness with your decisions.
posted
Just wanted to add a bit of my story for those over 40. I was 41 when I had my TR and 42 with my perfectly normal PG and delivery. Judy TR 10/16/2006 PG --1st try BFP 2/22/07 Delivery 11/2/07 baby boy 10# 7oz and 22.5 inches. Vaginal delivery -- no pain meds.
Baby Joey is approx. 27# and 33" today at 14 months old. He's walking, reading words, knows colors, and numbers but isn't forming and using words just yet. He was tongue tied at birth and it took us 6 months to find a DR that would fix the issue. (This is a common family birth defect for me.) I wish you all our same success.
posted
Thank you for this blog Dr. Monteith. We get frequent calls where we explain to women that with tubal reversal surgery, once the tubes are repaired, the chance of pregnancy can occur each month naturally. With IVF, medications must be administered by injection and a minor surgical procedure is performed each time pregnancy is attempted. Compared with current national IVF statistics, tubal reversal surgery at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center has a higher pregnancy rate and it is more affordable than IVF. Martha
posted
Thank you ladies for your input. As your stories confirm, this issue is more common than we like to think. Many people are not even aware that tubal reversal is an alternative to IVF. I am so happy that you have found your way to Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center and I look forward to meeting you when you arrive in Chapel Hill.
posted
I was told by a fertility specialist that IVF was a better option for us since I was almost 40 and would most likely only want one more child. My husband and I were led to believe that since I had had no problem getting pregnant in the past and he had no abnormal tests that we were almost assured to get pregnant. After $15,000 and no pregnancy (and no frozen embryos to try again) we were very disappointed.
posted
This story is so familiar. My husband and I were also told our chances would be better through IVF than tubal reversal. IVF failed and broke our hearts. Now here we are 4 years later at CHTRC. I will be having my TR in March. Good Luck to you Cyndi.
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