Can I Still Get Pregnant After My Partner Has Had a Vasectomy?

Life happens, and sometimes even a permanent form of birth control can be reversed so you can have a child after having had a vasectomy. The procedure is meant to be permanent, and it involves surgically cutting off the vas deferens from carrying sperm from the testicles to the urethra to prevent pregnancy. It is a very effective form of birth control; however, the procedure can be “undone,” in many cases, when the vas deferens ends are reconnected in a procedure called a vasovasostomy. While a vasectomy reversal can make your dreams of parenthood possible, the success rates vary depending on several factors.

Some of the factors influencing the success of a vasectomy reversal include:

• How many years have passed since the vasectomy: Reversing a vasectomy that was performed in the last 7 years has a higher success rate.
• What kind of vasectomy reversal procedure is required: There are 2 main types of vasectomy reversal surgery, although vasovasostomy is the most commonly performed type. Vasoepididymostomy is a complex vasectomy reversal surgery, and it can take twice as long post-surgery for sperm to return to the ejaculate.
• The skill of the surgeon: Ask the urologist (a physician who specializes in the male reproductive system) how many reversals they have performed and what their success rates are. Confirm the surgeon has microsurgical training and is a member of the Fellow of American College of Surgeons.
• Whether there are other fertility factors

How Soon After the Vasectomy Reversal Can I Conceive?

After a vasovasostomy, it can take up to 3 months for sperm to return to the ejaculate. A fertility specialist can order a semen analysis 3 months post-vasovasostomy to check for sperm count levels. If you don’t conceive right away, try not to panic, because even couples with normal fertility often wait months to achieve pregnancy. Generally, if you haven’t achieved pregnancy after 6 months to a year post-vasectomy reversal, you should see a fertility specialist.

Although vasectomy reversal can be successful, it is not a guaranteed path to parenthood. For some couples, other options, such as sperm aspiration with IVF is the better route. You may want to talk both to a urologist and a fertility specialist before deciding which is the better treatment option for you and your partner. Also, to ensure the vasectomy reversal is not in vain, have the female partner’s fertility tested prior to making surgical decisions.

For couples whose vasectomy reversals were not successful, or for men who do not wish to reverse their vasectomy, surgical sperm retrieval is another option for them to build them families. This process aims to obtain the best quality sperm while minimizing any injury to the testicles and reproductive tract. Surgical sperm retrieval, also called sperm aspiration, may be coordinating with the female partner’s fertility specialist so fresh sperm can be used, either through intrauterine insemination or as part of the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) process. If IVF is recommended, then the male partner’s sperm is injected into the female partner’s eggs in an embryology lab, a process called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Contact Palm Beach Fertility Center to Discuss Your Options

Are you considering your options to build or expand your family, but you’ve had a vasectomy? A vasectomy reversal may be your best option to restore your sperm count and achieve pregnancy. Contact us today at Palm Beach Fertility Center to speak to a friendly member of our team. Reach out online or call (888) 819-5177 now.