Sterilization reversal: results of 101 attempts

One hundred one patients underwent reversal of sterilization. Among the 79 patients with a known outcome, the successful pregnancy rate was 35%. In contrast, the tubal patency rate was 91%. An analysis of standard preoperative fertility factors failed to reveal their predictive value. Total motile sperm counts of greater than 60 x 10(6) resulted in more successful pregnancies than counts below this number (p less than or equal to 0.005). The operating microscope did not have any advantage over loupes. Patients with one tube greater than 7 cm in length had a delivery rate of 75%, compared with 16% for those with shorter tubes (p less than or equal to 0.001). Eighty percent of patients with a distal segment of the anastomosis that included part of the isthmic tube had deliveries (p less than or equal to 0.029). In contrast, all ectopic pregnancies were associated with a distal segment consisting only of ampulla; the risk of ectopic pregnancy after patent ampullary anastomosis was 23% (p less than or equal to 0.05).