Regardless of how sure a woman is that she will never want to become pregnant again, she may change her mind. Generally, the tubal ligation reversal procedure is about 50 to 80 percent successful and requires a lot more skill than IVF treatment. The chances of getting pregnant after a reversal are dependent on the length of the remaining fallopian tube, even with a successful reconnection.

A successful tubal ligation reversal will leave the woman able to have as many children as she wants. The egg is collected at the fimbrial end by the fallopian tube and carried to the uterus. A tubal ligation reversal can be successfully carried out as long as the fimbrial end has not been damaged.

Procedure information
A tubal ligation reversal is carried out under general anesthetic and like a tubal ligation, the reverse operation involves the surgeon making a small incision around the area of the belly button. A laparoscope (a small tube with a camera attached to the end) is inserted in the incision, which enables the surgeon to find the severed ends of the fallopian tubes. Surgical tools are passed through the laparoscope, which are used to reattach the tubes.

If the fimbrial end has been damaged then the procedure must be aborted at this stage. The tubal ligation will have removed part of the fallopian tube and so the two ends will be of different in diameter. This microscopic surgery allows for the differing diameters to be reattached with a large degree of success.

Recovery time
As with tubal ligation, the reverse procedure is relatively easy to recover from. Most patients leave the clinic or hospital shortly after the operation has been completed. Strenuous exercise should be avoided for about 3 or 4 days and painkilling medication is usually prescribed to relieve discomfort for a few days. Sexual intercourse can be undertaken after approximately 1 week or when the patient feels ready.