# IVF or Seralisation Reversal



## @[email protected] (Apr 11, 2005)

We are looking at  for IVF/Reversal, but we are just not sure which to go for. Not sure which has the best success rate.  

We could spend £2000 on IVF for it to fail to have to spend the same amount again or Spend £4000 and have a reversal and it fail.  

With IVF for £4000 we get two chances compared to the one chance of Reversal for £4000.  We really need to weigh it up.


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## tamH (Mar 29, 2005)

Hi
Don't want to disillusion you, but one cycle of ivf has been a lot higher than £2000 for us -  the cost of consultations, blood tests, investigations, scans and medication all has been on top of the actual ivf price (which in itself was about £3000). 

Good luck with whichever route you choose to go down!

Tam xx


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## saraD (Mar 9, 2005)

Ditto, IVF cost for us was about nearer £4000 including all the meds, scans, blood tests, consultations, etc. Have you been given statistics for the chances of pregnancy after sterilisation reversal vs. IVF for your profile? Best of luck


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## AussieMeg (Sep 5, 2004)

Debs

My best girlfriend is currently playing with her IVF baby son who was conceived as a result of DPs vasectomy. She was told the success rate was higher with IVF than reversal as he had his Vasectomy over 12 years ago. It took them two goes because the first time they could not aspirate any sperm. The thing they found amusing was that the drugs Dp had to take made him feel like a 16year old and her Down regging made her feel like a 60 year old

http://www.advancedfertility.com/testicsperm.htm
http://www.malereproduction.com/ivf_vs_vasectomy_reversal.html

Hope this helps
Megan


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## @[email protected] (Apr 11, 2005)

Hi All  

Thanks for your responces;

Aussiemeg - in my case it is me that is steralised and from what I ahem been told, the success rate for a woman is different to that of  man.  Congrats on your success ad I hope that I am as lucky as you eventually.

TatmanH/SaraD - I have been getting so many variations of the cost, I really think it depends on the are you live in.  I have been told that I may be able to get my Dr to fund the drugs, does anyone know whether this is true?

We were going to opt for IVF Egg Share, not only for the cost but also we would e helping someone else at the same time.  I was refused that due to my blood group.  So now it is IVF or reversal. My DP is steering more to the reversal and I think  the more I hear, I am too. Less needles! I hate needles. Yep I am a wimp lol


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## suzy (Oct 12, 2003)

Hi Debs,

The way I see it, is that with ivf, you only get one cycle, whereas with the reversal, you get to try every month. I'm sure the success of one cycle of IVF is greater than the success of one cycle after your reversal, so to my mind what you choose would depend on how old you are. If you are in your late 30s or 40+, then I'd definately do IVF, but if you are younger and time is on your hands, I'd do the reversal.

Good luck whatever you choose,

Suzy


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## saraD (Mar 9, 2005)

Good advice from Suzy, you can always come back to IVF but with the reversal you have given yourself the chance to try every month. Re: IVF cost  - f your Dr will precribe some of the fertility drgs on the NHS for IVF then yes that wll lower the cost but not all Drs will. Best of luck


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## @[email protected] (Apr 11, 2005)

Thanks Suzy & SaraD

Suzy - you made a valid point about the success rate of 1 IVF attempt is great than reversal.  

I am 32  Yesterday I was all for reversal, now I am so not sure again. I think I will contact my consultant and have a good chat with him and at the same time see if we can get the drugs from our Dr.

Will keep you posted


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## suzy (Oct 12, 2003)

Some more thoughts,

Deb, I presume that because you had a sterilization, you already have children, so you know you can concieve - has your partner been tested? That would give you some information if you decided to go for the reversal, because it'd be awful if you ttc after a reversal and then found out that your partner had no or a low sperm count - you'd have to have icsi or ivf anyway.  Whereas if you went for the reversal knowing you were both fertile you would have piece of mind. You could always, say, put a time limit on ttc after reversal and if you didn't concieve then go for ivf. 

Our doctor said that my chances of concieving naturally were about 5% per cycle at the age of 37 with unexplained if, but with ivf the chances were 35% for one embryo transferred, 40% with two. it seemed to make sense to me that I was paying for a sixfold increase in our chances for that cycle, and we got a bfp, so for us, it was the best money we have ever spent. BUT.......if it hadn't worked it would have been a different matter and there would have been a high financial and physical cost for repeated cycles.


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## Triciah (Mar 25, 2004)

Hi Debs

Interesting question. And funnily enough a friend of mine is asking herself the very same question. Having supported me through two failed IUI's, 1 failed IVF and our most recent positive IVF...she decided to do save up for the reversal first so that she'll be able to ttc every month while saving up for an IVF.

Both me and dh had unexplained and dh has a son from a previous relationship. But still the clinic said the success rate is about 25% per cycle. The tell you that that figure increases over time but it doesn't..it's cumulative over 3 months (i.e. 100 people, 25% = 75 people left x 25% = 19 people = 56 etc etc). 

To be honest tho....statistics are only as good as the information they represent. So my take on it is that unless the statistics exactly relate to a couple in the exact same position as us then really they're useless.  Prob sounds quite blunt. 

But I guess you need to work out what you guys feel is best for you and your dp....as from what I understand the reversal is quite a big op. 

Good luck with whatever you decide.
T
x

BTW...Would agree that IVF costs ave £3k ish per cycle.


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## @[email protected] (Apr 11, 2005)

Hi all

How are you all doing? 

Sorry I have not been in touch for a while, have had PC problems, but all sorted now. So I thought I would come back to up date you all.

After spending £140 on a consultation and being told by a nurse we could not go ahead with IVF egg share due to me being Sickle Cell Trait, and after querying this with my actual consultant and getting a very confusing     contradictive   reply I decided to send letters/emails to every clinic throughout the UK that do IVF Egg Share and explaining my situation to them. I have had a few say that they would take me on even though I am Sickle Cell Trait     Clinics as far North and as far south as you can imagine and even better still finally about a week ago I got a call from a Birmingham clinic, I nearly dropped off my seat!!

They asked me to send a letter of referral from my Doc. Which I did and now I am awaiting my 1st appointment. I have been told that the all inclusive price is £525, no hidden costs.

On top of all that I have found out that the consultant who I saw at the private clinic originally is the same conultant at this hospital, not sure if that is a good thing or not    we will just have to wait and see. will keep you posted


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## @[email protected] (Apr 11, 2005)

Hi all, 

Not been on the forums for a little while. Lots been happening at my end.  got married 3 weeks ago , (father in law died 10 days before)   spent a week in sunny Kos, came back to rain, then back  to work the following day.  So it's been all go!!!  

Starting to get things back on track now.  We had the counselling session last tues at the Womens and we've got the test etc this tues. After the tests, we got the long wait till the end of Sept to find out if we can go ahead with IVF egg Share or not. fingers x'd.

Thats my update, not much else going on.

Debs


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## jue jue 2 (Feb 17, 2005)

hi Debs 
just read you thread we also looked into sterilisation reversal, i noticed your from Birmingham at Sandwell hospital it is on nhs as we were referred. However put of by the fact that it is major surgery and have opted for ivf egg share, althoughth now awaiting cycle 7

jue jue 2


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## @[email protected] (Apr 11, 2005)

Hi Jue, apologies for not responding to your post, been a hectic few months.

So what is the latest with you?  

We have got over another hurdle. All our tests have come back fine, medication to be delivered next week, then I have to wait for my next period (beginning of Nov) and give the hospital a call, to start. Got the good new today, they have found a match, so no waiting. I was on cloud 9, i can only imagine how pleased the receipient is today.

private message me so we can chat.

Debs


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## jue jue 2 (Feb 17, 2005)

HI Debs
great news about getting started good luck with your tx i hope it works for you, what hospital are you using?we are starting on the roller coaster again on friday very excited but also scared at the same time.feel free to pm at any time.
jue jue 2


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## sillylally (Jan 1, 2006)

Hi, I'm new here so please forgive me if i ask questions that you've already answered. I had a sterilization reversal in November of 2004 & have been trying to conceive since. no luck yet, but i started charting temperatures 3 months ago & found out i'm NOT ovulating every month. so i'd go for a reversal & try every month but always make sure you're ovulating too.
I'm about to start clomid this month so hope that helps. What did you choose ? all the very best of luck, Sally in Sussex, UK


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## jill20000 (Dec 11, 2002)

Hi
I would go with sterilization reversal every time, i had one done in sep 2002 and fell pregnant in feb 2003, my little boy was born nov 2003, it is a big operation and cost me £3000 but well worth every penny, the way i see it you have got more than 1 shot at it, you have a chance every month.

Jill


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## @[email protected] (Apr 11, 2005)

Hi all

An update on me.
We opted for IVF and finally started on 28th Dec (should have been Nov, but they said due to missing teh cut off date, xmas an all that, I had to wait for next period)

Started my down regging (sorry don't know the abbrevs) on 28.12.05, 1st scan on 11.1.05.

Congrats to all who are pregnant & good luck to all who are still trying, hopefully this year will be our year


Debs


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## missmoonlight (Oct 20, 2005)

How long after a reversal can u start trying im having mine done 6th may 2006...how big of an op is it..and how many weeks off work will i need too take.


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## MrsRedcap (Jan 6, 2006)

Hi Missmoonlight,

You can start trying whenever you feel up to it. They can do the operation laparoscopically but most like to use laparotomy (which I had) a cut on the bikini line in fact they opened up my old caeserean scar.

As for going back to work...they say 6 wks to recover...no heavy lifting, housework etc.

But take as long as you need and until your back on your feet again properly

Love

Vicki x


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