Tubal Ligation Reversal and Age

When wanting to have tubal reversal surgery a woman may have many questions. For some women approaching the age of 40 it is a question of being too old. Am I too old to have a child because I am almost 40 years old?

There are couples that have gone to tubal reversal surgeons and once the surgeon hears the woman may be approaching forty she is considered too old. This is not the case. Many surgeons will recommend IVF or in vitro fertilization treatments to achieve pregnancy. The truth of the matter is if the woman is still having regular menstrual cycles then she is able to get pregnant. There are many women waiting until they are older to have children.

If you are a woman who is researching tubal reversal surgery to restore fertility and approaching the golden age of 40 there are tests that can be run. These tests are able to detect how your egg reserve is and the quality of the eggs can also be determined.

The two tests are:

• Day 3 FSH Testing- This is a simple blood test performed on day 3 of your menstrual cycle. If the FSH level comes back high it could mean that the quantity and quality of your eggs is low or poor. If your FSH levels are high it does not mean that you cannot get pregnant but it may mean that it takes you longer.
• Estradiol (E2) level – High estrogen level on day 3 of cycle is indicative of Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR) even if the FSH level is normal.  It is very important to measure both day 3 FSH and estrogen (E2) levels to get a better result.

If these tests come back normal then the chances of becoming pregnant following tubal reversal surgery is good. If your partner has not had children or is a bit older a semen analysis is not a bad idea. Couples will often have all of the previous mentioned tests run just so they are sure everything is okay.

Couples that meet with a tubal reversal surgeon and are refused the surgery because of the age should keep looking. There are surgeons that will perform the surgery because it is the patient’s decision. If the couple has been properly informed they are the ones that should be making the decision regarding their fertility and future.

Do women have children following tubal reversal surgery over the age of 40? Yes, and they are quite happy to let the world know about it.

Debra writes about various topics including tubal reversal surgery and Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center.