A tubal ligation is more commonly known by women as getting your tubes tied. The process of undoing that surgery is called a tubal-ligation reversal. Many doctors throw this procedure into the category of fertility treatment, even if you were perfectly fertile before the original tubal ligation. If you are considering a reversal, money might be the first thing on your mind. Here you will find information you need about the average cost of a tubal-ligation reversal.
Facts
First, it's important to understand what actually happens during a tubal-ligation reversal. There are many different ways surgeons perform a tubal ligation. They may have clamped, cut or burned the fallopian tubes. The reversal involves unclamping, suturing together or resectioning and suturing together those fallopian tubes. This is considered a fairly serious procedure that typically requires at least a one-night stay at the hospital. After this procedure, women have between 20 and 80 percent chance of conceiving according to FertilityProregistry.com. The percentage edges towards 80 percent if it is a microsurgery.
Price
There are two main ways to perform a tubal ligation reversal: through standard incisions or with microsurgery. These comes with varying price tags. In general, across the country, tubal-ligation reversals range from about $6,000 to $15,000, according to FertilityProRegistry.com. Standard-incision surgeries cost less for the actual surgery, but typically require a longer hospital stay and cost more than the other option in the long run. Microsurgery is only done in some clinics, but can actually be done on an outpatient basis. Although the cost of the surgery itself is more, the hospital or surgery-center charge is much less.
Alternatives
There are alternatives for tubal-ligation reversals. In vitro fertilization is an expensive fertility treatment in which a doctor physically extracts the woman's eggs from her ovaries, fertilizes them and then places them in her uterus in the hopes of implantation. Tubal-Reversal.net states that each IVF treatment costs about $10,000 and is much less successful than a tubal-ligation reversal. Many couples go through several rounds of treatments before success, if ever. Adoption is another option that can also cost a lot of money. Once your tubes are tied, the cost of having another child instantly sky rockets.
Considerations
If you expect your health-insurance plan to pay for a tubal-ligation reversal, think again. It is rare for an insurance plan to pay for sterilization reversal, especially if it paid for the initial tubal ligation. They may consider it fertility treatment, however, and allow it up to a certain dollar amount.
Misconceptions
Just because it is possible to reverse a tubal ligation doesn't mean that should be your intention. A tubal ligation is considered a permanent form of birth control. If you want long-term birth control, talk to your doctor about your various options before choosing a tubal ligation.
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