Pregnancy After Vasectomy
Some Important Facts About Pregnancy After Vasectomy
Although pregnancy after vasectomy is very rare, it can happen. It is estimated that the chance of becoming pregnant after a vasectomy is about 1% without surgical reversal. A vasectomy is a procedure that a man can have done that is very similar to when a woman gets her tubes cut and tied. When a man has a vasectomy the doctor will cut the line that produces the sperm.
In most cases this is a surgical procedure that is meant as a permanent solution to preventing pregnancy and should only be undertaken if a man is absolutely sure that he will want no more children. In some cases a man may decide later that he wants more children, and when this happens the couple may begin searching for information about pregnancy after vasectomy.
In this case there are some options; such as a reversal of the vasectomy. When a man undergoes a vasectomy reversal the surgeon will attempt to reattach the cut tubes so that the sperm can once again enter the tube and allow for an ejaculation that contains sperm so that pregnancy can occur. In addition to this option there also a method of which a doctor can retrieve the sperm and use it for in vitro fertilization. If you choose this method the doctor will retrieve the sperm from the male, and the eggs of a female and fertilize them in a laboratory; once the eggs have been fertilized they can be implanted in the uterus of the female.
The chances of success and pregnancy after vasectomy with a reversal are only about 60%. What this means is that for every 10 men that undergo the reversal, only about 6 of them will be successful in getting a child. In the event that the reversal is not successful, there have been occasions when another doctor may be more successful; although with each attempt the success rate is even lower. The longer someone has had a vasectomy, the lower the chances that a reversal will be successful.
The success rate of sperm retrieval is better at 95%, although the pregnancy rate is not as good. With this procedure the pregnancy success is only about 50%, and may be even lower if the woman has problems with fertility.
The risk of a vasectomy reversal is very low; there may be some scarring and pain, but generally the risk to a man is low. On the other hand if a couple chooses in vitro fertilization, the woman is given certain hormones to stimulate ovulation; these hormones have been known to increase a woman’s chance of developing ovarian cancer. For the man, the reversal of the vasectomy will be no more painful that the original procedure and recover time isn’t too long. Within a week or two you should be feeling like your old self.
If there is any chance at all that a couple may want to consider pregnancy after vasectomy the best course of action would be to not have the procedure until you are absolutely sure that you are done having children. Not only is having a vasectomy very expensive, it is even more costly to reverse the procedure later. In vitro fertilization can be even more expensive yet.
There is no doubt that a vasectomy is a great solution to preventing pregnancy for a male, but it isn’t something you will want to undertake lightly, especially if there is any chance at all that you will want a child at a later time.
If you have any questions about pregnancy after vasectomy you will want to consult your doctor; he or she is the person in the best position to advise you on how to proceed with your goal of having another child.