Everything you need to know about infertility surgery
It can be heartbreaking not being able to conceive, and sometimes infertility surgery is the only chance a couple will have to get pregnant. Today it’s fairly uncommon for doctors to perform surgery to help couples get pregnant because of the high success rate of in vitro fertilization to help couples become pregnant. However, surgery is still an option for some couples.
Reasons infertility surgery might be an option
Surgery to help with infertility problems is generally performed on women to help with physical problems inside the reproductive system. The physical problems can be fairly simple issues, like fibroids, which can occasionally block the tubes and keep the egg from becoming fertilized. Other times women may opt to have a tubal reversal surgery, which basically involves reversing a tubal ligation surgery. A tubal ligation surgery is also known as having the tubes tied, and it’s a surgery some women choose if they no longer want to be able to get pregnant.
The basics of the surgery
Surgery to correct infertility is very basic. It generally involves only the pelvic area and parts of the reproductive organs. There are three basic kinds of surgery for infertility. Laparoscopy is the least invasive of the three, and it involves inserting a scope through an incision in the belly button. This scope allows the surgeon to see any possible causes of the infertility. The problems can then be corrected through the use of various instruments that are inserted through the scope.
The second type of surgery is called hysteroscopy, and it involves inserting a scope through the vagina and cervix and into the uterus. The surgeon then fills the uterus with fluid and looks inside to see what might be causing infertility. The procedure is very similar to laparoscopy because instruments can be inserted through the scope to correct any visual problems with the reproductive organs.
The third type of surgery to correct infertility is the tubal reversal surgery, and it is largely a laparoscopic procedure, although it usually requires a much larger incision that just the regular laparoscopy.
Things to keep in mind
There are many things to keep in mind while you’re considering infertility surgery. First of all, it’s a big decision to choose surgery as an option to possibly become pregnant. As with all infertility treatments, there’s no guarantee that it will work, and the couple must weigh the risks against the benefits. In fact, some couples will find that in vitro fertilization is a much more viable option than surgery, especially if the male’s sperm count is extremely low.
Another thing to keep in mind when considering whether or not to have surgery to correct infertility is the importance of having a very skilled professional to perform the surgery. All types of surgery are delicate processes, and a surgery that involves infertility is even more delicate because it’s too easy for the surgeon to just make matters worse.