What A Vasectomy Reversal is And is The Procedure Right For You

November 26, 2011 by Dr John Westerford  
Filed under pregnancy

When men have vasectomies performed, it’s for an obvious reason. In many cases, they refuse to have kids and also want to lower their chances of accidental pregnancies as much as they can. Other reasons may also exist, such as realizing that creating more kids would be irresponsible or believing that their lifestyle isn’t appropriate for kids. A man alone can make the decision to have a vasectomy, or a couple can make the decision together. The decision for a vasectomy reversal can be arrived at alone or by a couple, jointly.

Vasectomy Reversal?

A reversal vasectomy is a procedure the reverses the vasectomy operation. A vasectomy is performed by severing the vas, and a reversal operation will reconnect the vas so healthy sperm can freely flow through the penis and ejaculate, so pregnancy can be achieved. The goal is essentially to allow men to change their minds. If they decide that they made a mistake when they had their vasectomy, they can always go back for a reversal to reopen their fertility options.

That’s the simple definition of the reversal of the vasectomy procedure, but the procedure isn’t always the exact same. After beginning the surgery, a physician will look at fluids from the vas to figure out what kind of procedure has to be performed to properly turn the vasectomy around. The aim of this procedure is always to put the vas back together again, yet the specific way of doing that might vary from man to man.

Is a Reversal Vasectomy always Effective?

Many men will go on from their reversal to have children without problems, but not all will be so lucky. Some men will have to try for quite some time before they are able to conceive a child, and some will never be able to conceive a child. When conception fails, the problem is not always the vasectomy. Some men may also have low sperm count or other problems that cause their infertility. Some men may also be trying to conceive with women who have their own problems with fertility.

Men who have gone through a vasectomy in the past should go through complete infertility screening to make sure there are not other problems standing in their way of conceiving naturally. The women they are conceiving with should also be checked to rule out any fertility problems that could stand in the way of an easy conception.

Reversal vasectomy procedures are not always successful, but they are successful for enough men to make them worth considering. If you or someone you love has had a vasectomy and is thinking about a reversal, the first step is always to consult a doctor specializing in this procedure. They can do a thorough exam and take a complete medical history and family background to determine the chances of success with a reversal.

Still, no physician can say with certainty whether a vasectomy reversal will indeed be successful for any particular man. All they can do is point out any potential problem that can impair success or indications that it’ll be a rousing success. Then, they’ll perform the procedures on the best candidates and wait and see what occurs. They can also give suggestions on increasing the likelihood of conception after the reversal operation has been done.

Are you well-suited for a Reversal?

If you’ve undergone a vasectomy yet now want to father kids, you may be a good match for a vasectomy reversal operation. This operation is meant to provide men with another opportunity to father kids with their own semen. If you have frozen semen somewhere, then you might rely on that semen for conception without undergoing a reversal procedure. If you failed to think ahead to have semen frozen, a reversal vasectomy could be the only option to father kids naturally with your own semen.

A good place to start is with some initial research on the Internet to learn a little more about the benefits and risks vasectomy reversal and to get an idea of which doctors in your area are qualified enough to perform this surgery.