My Vasectomy Reversal

How do you define success?

Figures given for the success rate of vasectomy reversal surgeries can be confusing. There are two different numbers to consider. One is the patency rate — the return of sperm to semen. This is very different than the vasectomy reversal success rate in terms of pregnancy.  In general, vasectomy reversal results in the return of sperm to the semen in 71 to 97% of patients.  However, the chance of pregnancy is lower, and only occurs from 30 to 76% of the time.

What factors affect vasectomy reversal success rates?

Why is the pregnancy rate different than the patency rate?  It may be that although sperm are present, the count is too low or there are motility or morphology problems.  The man may have developed anti-sperm antibodies, or the woman may have her own fertility problems.

There are several factors that effect the success rate of a vasectomy reversal.  One is the length of time between vasectomy and vasectomy reversal. If you are considering a vasectomy reversal, don’t wait until you are ready to get pregnant, as the likelihood of success decreases over time. 

Another factor that determines outcome is the technique used by the doctor in performing the surgery. The vasectomy reversal success rate is higher if the doctor uses microsurgical techniques.  Although most do, there are still some who don’t, so you must ask!  The success rate is also much higher if the doctor is able to perform a simple vasovasectomy rather than the more complicated vasoepididymostomy. 

Don’t lose hope if your vasectomy reversal does not show a return of sperm, however. The procedure can be redone and the vasectomy reversal success rate is still quite high the second time around.

More information on vasectomy reversal success rates

• In a previous post we looked at how the length of time between the vasectomy and the vasectomy reversal affects your chances of pregnancy.
• VasectomyReversalSpecialists.com also takes a look at how the time since a vasectomy affects the success rate of vasectomy reversal.
• Dr. Douglas Stein graphs the return of sperm and chances of a successful vasectomy reversal over time. Be careful how you interpret the charts. As he says “the height of the columns is not the measure of success, but just the number of patients at each interval.”
• Information on vasectomy reversal success rates from the Center for Male Reproductive Medicine and Vasectomy Reversal.
• Pregnancy following a vasectomy reversal can happen quickly, but the average length of time is a full year.

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