IVF After Tubal Ligation

A tubal ligation, or getting one’s “tubes tied” is a surgery that seals off the fallopian tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus. Doing so means an ovulated egg can no longer travel through the fallopian tube to be fertilized by sperm. A tubal ligation is usually considered a type of permanent birth control. 

People usually get a tubal ligation when they know they are done having children. Of course, life happens, and sometimes people find themselves in a situation where they want to grow to get pregnant yet again. While there are a few options for such a situation, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is perhaps the best and most popular way of getting pregnant after a tubal ligation.

Here, we’ll walk you through how you can get pregnant with IVF after a tubal ligation, the cost, and the success rate. We’ll also briefly discuss tubal ligation reversal, another option available instead of doing IVF. 

Can you do IVF after a tubal ligation?

Yes, IVF is a highly effective method of achieving a pregnancy after a tubal ligation. IVF completely bypasses the tubal obstruction caused by the ligation meaning it has no negative impact on your ability to conceive via IVF.

How does IVF work if your tubes are tied?

IVF with your tubes tied is really the same as someone doing IVF with their tubes intact. This has to do with the way IVF works. In IVF, the female’s eggs are removed directly from the ovaries, fertilized in a lab, and then implanted directly in the uterus – completely bypassing the fallopian tubes. 

Most people begin the IVF process by taking hormone injections every day for around 10-12 days to grow as many mature eggs as possible. During this time, you will have routine ultrasounds and bloodwork taken every few days to monitor the development of the egg and uterine lining.

When most of the eggs are mature, the eggs are surgically removed in a procedure called an egg retrieval. During the egg retrieval, a physician uses an ultrasound-guided needle to suck the follicular fluid from the ovaries. The mature eggs are found within this fluid.  

From there, the eggs are separated from the follicular fluid, fertilized, and grown in a lab for 3-7 days. Embryos that develop can be transferred one (or maybe two) at a time to the uterus to establish pregnancy. You can also freeze them to be used later. 

As you can see, IVF completely bypasses the fallopian tubes and thus works the same whether or not someone has had a tubal ligation.

Will Insurance Pay for IVF After a Tubal Ligation?

Usually, no. A tubal ligation is considered an elective form of self-sterilization. As such, insurance plans rarely, if ever, cover IVF after having one’s tubes tied.

What does IVF with your tubes tied cost?

In the United States, IVF costs on average about $19,200. The cost of IVF is the same, whether your tubes are tied or not. 

Keep in mind you may need to do more than one cycle to get pregnant. 

At one-third the cost of the national average, CNY Fertility provides a much more affordable option costing just $5,769 for an IVF cycle, including medications. 

If you choose to have a tubal ligation reversal, CNY Fertility offers an even further discounted IVF cycle if you are unable to get pregnant naturally within a year of the tubal reversal— as such, IVF can make a good “plan B” if needed.

IVF with tubes tied success rates

Fertility success rates have a lot to do with your age. In fact, age is the most important factor for IVF success rates.  

As you get older, so do your eggs. Not only do eggs decrease in number, but aging eggs are also poorer in quality and have more abnormal chromosomes. Resulting embryos with these abnormalities often result in failed IVF implantation or an early stage miscarriage.

If you’ve had your tubes tied and do IVF to get pregnant, your chances of success are similar to other people experiencing infertility who do IVF. According to the final 2020 data from the Society for Reproductive Technology (SART), IVF success rates varied by age:

• Women under age 35 have a live birth rate of 54.5%
• Women ages 35 to 37 have a live birth rate of 39.8%
• Women ages 38 to 40 have a live birth rate of 26.1%
• Women over age 42 have a live birth rate of only 4%

Along with age, IVF success rates depend largely on factors such as:

• Quality of the sperm
• Number of eggs fertilized
• Quality of embryos
• Uterine and endometrium health
• Underlying health conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

Alternatives to IVF after tubal ligation 

If you want to get pregnant after your tubes are tied, a tubal ligation reversal is your other option instead of doing IVF. It’s a surgical procedure that reconnects your fallopian tubes to allow you to become pregnant on your own. 

A tubal reversal may allow you to get pregnant naturally or with simpler, less expensive treatments like intrauterine insemination (IUI) – both of which require open tubes.

Insurance doesn’t usually cover tubal ligation reversals. On average, a reversal costs about $9,000, but the price can range from $1,000 to $21,000. A tubal ligation reversal at CNY Fertility costs a total of $4,995.

Getting pregnant after a tubal ligation reversal, like IVF, depends a lot on your age. Success rates range from 42 to about 70%. But those chances decrease substantially after age 40.  

The bottom line on IVF with your tubes tied

There can be a lot to think about if you have your tubes tied but want to become pregnant again. IVF can be a great option to grow your family due to its high rate of success and relatively low cost if you have your cycle done at CNY Fertility. Consider talking with a CNY Fertility specialist to review your health history and options available to you. Schedule an appointment today!