Tubal Reversal Pregnancy Study 2009

Pregnancy Rates By Fallopian Tube Lengths

The fallopian tube lengths remaining after a tubal ligation procedure are important
determinants of the chances of getting pregnant after tubal reversal surgery. (Normal
fallopian tube length before a tubal ligation is approximately 10 cm or 4 inches.)

Tubal segment lengths are measured routinely during surgery at Chapel Hill Tubal
Reversal Center. The average length of the two fallopian tubes after repair was correlated
with the likelihood of pregnancy after tubal reversal (Table 6). Women with longer tubal
lengths had higher pregnancy rates than women with shorter lengths following tubal
reversal. Women with tubal lengths of 7.5 cm or longer had a pregnancy rate of 77%. The
pregnancy rate declined as tubal length decreased, but even women with the shortest
tubes (less than 2.5 cm) became pregnant (38%). Although previously unreported in the
medical literature, it became apparent during this study that a repaired fallopian tube of
any length can result in pregnancy. Based on reports by women with only 1 fallopian
tube, we now know that tubal lengths as short as 1 cm can result in a normal pregnancy.

Table 6. Pregnancy Rates by Tubal Length (cm)

Length Total Women Pregnant (No.) Pregnant (%)

7.5+ 469 362 77%

5.0-7.4 2826 1966 70%

2.5-4.9 1602 920 57%

<2.5 112 42 38%

Tubal Ligation Method And Tubal Length

When tubal ligation method and average tubal lengths are taken into account
simultaneously, it becomes clear that the amount of fallopian tube remaining after a
sterilization procedure is the more important factor predicting the chances of getting
pregnant after tubal reversal surgery (Table 7). This makes sense, since the less damage
that occurs to the fallopian tube during a sterilization procedure, the more remains to be
able to function normally once the tube has been surgically repaired.

Table 7. Pregnancy Rates by Tubal Ligation Method and Tubal Length (cm)

Method 7.5+ 5.0-7.4 2.5-4.9 <2.5

Clip 137/168 (82%) 155/222 (70%) 7/11 (64%) -

Ring 86/118 (73%) 493/672 (73%) 35/62 (57%) -

Coagulation 49/62 (79%) 516/774 (69%) 448/706 (64%) 27/76 (36%)

Ligation/Resection 72/92 (78%) 723/1060 (68%) 395/736 (54%) 12/26 (46%)

Tubal Reversal Pregnancy Study 2009

Table Of Contents:

• Overview
• Study Method
• Patient Population – US States
• Patient Population – Age and Tubal Ligation Procedures
• Pregnancy Rates by Age and Method
• Tubal Reversal Pregnancy Rates by Tubal Lengths (this page)
• Pregnancy Outcomes
• Tubal Reversal vs. IVF
• About Pregnancy Statistics