Factors influencing success or failure after reversal of sterilization: a multivariate approach

Reversal of sterilization was performed in 215 patients after unipolar coagulation, Fallope ring or clip sterilization, or bipolar coagulation or a Pomeroy sterilization. All patients had a follow-up of at least 1 year. Prognostic variables were derived from the previous history, the preoperative fertility assessment, and the actual operation. Some variables were combined into a fertility reducing factor. A first selection was performed by comparing the preoperative and perioperative variable scores of the successes (defined as all intrauterine pregnancies within 1 year after surgery) with those of the failures (no intrauterine pregnancy within 1 year). Eight variables appeared to have prognostic potential. Taking account of the inter-relations of those variables by using logistic regression analysis, the localization of the anastomosis, the number of anastomosed tubes, and the presence of a fertility reducing factor were selected as the most predictive ones. Using this logistic model, an estimate of the pregnancy outcome could be calculated for each individual patient.