Did you have a vasectomy because you thought you didn’t want to have any more children, or maybe none at all? Then change your mind? You’re not alone. While a vasectomy is considered a permanent sterilization procedure, it can, in fact, be reversed. Between 6-10% of men who’ve had vasectomies change their minds.
If you’re among those men who’ve had a change of heart about adding children to their family, you may be wondering if the reversal procedure is risky — and whether it’s effective. At Advanced Urology Medical Offices in Los Angeles, Redondo Beach, and Culver City, California, our team of professional urologists can help you understand the procedure, risks, and success rates.
A vasectomy is the birth control choice of 42 million to 60 million men worldwide. It has a very high success rate as a method of birth control, with only 1 or 2 pregnancies out of every 1,000 couples.
Life circumstances may change, however, since you decided to have a vasectomy. The death of a child, a new marriage, or just a change of heart about adding to your family can affect a couple’s decision to reverse the vasectomy.
During a vasectomy, the vas deferens — the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles to the urethra — are cut or blocked. A reverse vasectomy reconnects these tubes so that sperm again mixes with semen. Once sperm is back in the mix, you’ll be able to get your partner pregnant.
Almost all vasectomies can be reversed. It may take a few months to a year to have enough sperm for pregnancy. However, pregnancy rates can vary from 30% to over 90%. Several factors contribute to a successful pregnancy.
One of those factors is the time between the initial vasectomy and the reversal procedure. The longer the time between the two, the lower the success rate. However, most vasectomy reversals performed within 10 years of the initial procedure are successful. Rates start to decline after 15 years.
Other factors include the age of the female partner and the male partner, and whether either partner has fertility issues, or had them in the past. Sometimes scarring from the vasectomy reversal can block sperm flow.
Working with a skilled, trained urologist can improve your success rate. The Advanced Urology Medical Offices urologists specialize in microscopic vasectomy reversal techniques and can also perform complex surgery that can reduce scarring, if necessary.
If you’ve had a vasectomy and would like to have it reversed, call Advanced Urology Medical Offices, which has locations in the Westchester, Redondo Beach, and Culver City neighborhoods and suburbs of Los Angeles. You can also request an appointment online or send the team a message here on their website.
