Mothers to Be – During and After the Vasectomy Reversal – 2023 Update
First and Foremost, Congratulations on the Decision to Become a Mother!
This page, by international authority and author Dr. Sheldon Marks, answers many of the questions and concerns thousands of women have asked us over many decades about a vasectomy reversal.
We’re excited that so many consider the International Center for Vasectomy Reversal (ICVR) to help achieve the first-step in restoring the partner’s fertility after a vasectomy. The doctors and entire staff share that dream, as we passionate about that goal to get pregnant! We understand that the vasectomy reversal is really only the first step to achieving that dream.
We are an international, all-inclusive “Center of Excellence” designed for restoring male fertility through a state-of-the-art vasectomy reversal. We have built ICVR on a foundation focused on providing the highest level of care for the entire family. Our dedicated staff of professionals is committed to the providing the highest standard of results and patient-care before, during and after the vasectomy reversal.
We love children and have worked to create a positive, happy experience at every step of the process. Wives are not just left abandoned in a crowded lobby to sit and wait in silence during the vas reversal. Instead, we have a comfortable, private family room where we keep partners involved and up-to-date throughout the vas reversal.
In fact, we make the experience educational and interactive as we invite the spouse into the Andrology lab to see the partner’s sperm on the lab monitor just as we do in the operating suite. Our kid-friendly family room is designed to accommodate families with children and pets, all to make the day of surgery as comfortable and stress-free as possible for our patients’ families. At ICVR, we’re not just committed to providing the best care possible for the patient, we’re committed to making the experience as pleasant as possible for everyone by making ourselves and our amazing staff available to answer all questions, provide support and assist in any way we can.
Each member of our ICVR team has dedicated their career to our practice. Dr. Marks hand-picks his staff based upon their qualifications, experience and passion for helping patients. We understand that too often, medical procedures become just that: procedural routines where patients are treated like a number.
Here at ICVR, each doctor chooses to limit his practice to one vasectomy reversal a day, so he is not rushing under pressure to get to the next of many vas reversals that day nor is he fatigued from earlier microsurgeries.
It is important to us that we build a relationship with our patients and their partner prior to the procedure, so we can show them why so many thousands before have trusted Dr. Marks and Dr. Burrows to do their vas reversal. We want every patient to feel confident that all of the questions can and will be answered promptly and thoroughly before, during and after the reverse vasectomy. For us, the vas reversal is just the beginning of a long relationship.
We stay in touch with our patients around the world via phone, e-mail, Zoom, Face Time, Skype and regular mail. We want to share in the joy when they find out that they are pregnant – we stay in touch as the family grows! Most especially, we love to see pictures of little ones upon his or her arrival and as they grow.
“Making Men Dad’s AgainTM” is not just a tag line – it is what we do, and each and every success story is very personal to us. We would love for anyone considering ICVR to join our family of new parents!
Our Promise…
The International Center for Vasectomy Reversal was founded on providing the best of the best when it comes to surgical care and outcomes as well as patient and family-focused quality care centered on each patient. We pride ourselves on a level of care and service that far exceeds other doctor’s and facilities who provide similar services. The team at ICVR works with each patient and his family to ensure the utmost in excellent care and access. Communication is key to establishing trust, and it’s important to us to make sure all patients are not just completely satisfied but thrilled with the services we provide, and with the one-on-one attention each deserves.
Whether talking with one of our staff members on the phone, or visiting our office, it is our goal that each patient should feel like they are our only patient and a member of our family, receiving our full attention and getting the answers they need to any questions or concerns that they might have, and getting them promptly.
Here are some of the most common questions from the female partners about the man’s chances for vasectomy reversal success rates, modifiable male and female factors, fertility and pregnancy, and his continued after care.
His Chances for Vas Reversal Success
Clearly one important question we hear all the time is… “is he still fertile after a vasectomy?” The answer is almost certainly absolutely yes. The vasectomy did nothing to reduce or damage a man’s ability to produce healthy sperm. Rather, it simply blocked the flow of sperm into the semen. He is almost always still making sperm, and most men do so for the rest of their life. We do know that older men can make less sperm than when they were younger, but this is rarely an issue. Our goal is to restore that flow of sperm so that he will become fertile again.
Success rates of the vas reversal at ICVR can be as high as 99.5%, rate for vas-to-vas connections, the best in the world, depending on a number of factors. Dr. Marks and Dr. Burrows are able to provide this high degree of success for most patients, so that the numbers of years from vasectomy to vas reversal is no longer a major issue (1). Of course, it makes sense that any of the top microsurgeons will have excellent results as well. In fact, we found out that for most men, this same success rate exists even if the patient had a failed vas reversal elsewhere (2). Our high successes are seen whether a straightforward vas-to-vas connection or the more difficult vas-to-epididymis bypass (70 to 90% success) is needed.
What About Female Fertility?
This is actually a critical factor in determining each patient’s chances for pregnancy, which is something that we cannot control or influence when performing a vas reversal. We know that as women get older, it may be harder to conceive and to stay pregnant because of increased issues conceiving and a higher miscarriage rate. But these are numbers that are used statistically to describe fertility with large populations of women. For an individual, these numbers are at best predictive. We have many patients with wives that were in their very late 30’s and even early to mid 40’s, up to 47 years old, without any problems conceiving and who had normal healthy babies. If there are any questions or concerns, it is always smart to see each patient’s own OB/GYN or reproductive endocrinologist (REI), the only experts for female evaluation.
Will the Child be Healthy after a Vasectomy Reversal?
Yes, the good news is that unlike IVF where a doctor or technician chooses the sperm and egg to bypass all the natural filters, with rare but controversial associated increased risks, our goal is to restore the flow of sperm back into the semen and let God and nature decide what sperm should join with which egg to make a child. There is no increased risk of any birth defects or other health problems in the baby because of the vasectomy reversal. As noted though, there are known increased risks for the offspring with older women and men.
What about Sperm Antibodies After Vasectomy Reversals?
Many couples have read or heard about the problems with antisperm antibodies and vasectomy reversals. Antibodies are rarely a concern or problem. Antibodies are present with every man after his vasectomy and for most, they fade away or are not significant. Most couples have no problems conceiving (3). In the rare situation where there is evidence such as high level of sperm clumping, suggestive of antibodies, then further studies may be performed. There are no tests that anyone can do before a vasectomy reversal to see if there are significant anti-sperm antibodies.
Before the Vasectomy Reversal
There are several things each female can do to improve the partner’s chances for a safe and successful vas reversal. We encourage both to follow a healthy lifestyle (4). In fact, we provide “sperm-happy lifestyle” information sheets to patients before the vas reversal. This includes suggestions for diet and nutrition, as well as anti-oxidant supplements that we suggest based on research. It is important that he not take testosterone supplements as this can seriously suppress sperm production (5). We also go over care and activity restrictions after the vas reversal so both can plan the time during his recovery to be sure he has the best chances for success.
On the Day of His Vasectomy Reversal
We know it is never easy to sit in a cold, lonely waiting room while a loved one undergoes any kind of operation, no matter how routine or quick it may be. We understand and know from personal experience what it is like to sit and worry, so our entire team is here to make each wife comfortable and involved. In fact, we strive to make the experience as interactive and positive as possible. For those wives that accompany their husbands, we have a private waiting room exclusively for them that is warm, relaxing and perfect for families with children and pets. Whether each wants to watch a movie on our flat screen TV, work online or just read or nap, the room is set up with all needs in mind. Whether each wife is going to be a first-time mom or if she is expanding an existing family, we want everyone to understand the partner’s fertility. That’s where the Arizona Andrology Laboratory and Cryobank comes in. We are very fortunate to have Matthew Marks, MS, of AALC, affiliated with our Vas Center. Matthew is dedicated to help every wife understand what about the sperm that the surgeon is seeing, the partner’s fertility and how it relates to chances of conceiving.
Throughout the reverse vasectomy procedure, wives receive phone updates from the operating suite. For each side, Dr. Marks and Dr. Burrows collect and transfer a drop of fluid from the vas to our andrologist, Matt, for analysis. He will be able to identify any sperm that are present, and measure the sperm count, quality, motility and forward 
progression. Wives are then invited into the AALC lab to review the findings and to view the sperm on the monitor, just as the surgeons do in the operating suite. We also teach each partner the different aspects of a semen analysis, as well as the various freezing and banking options available through AALC. Depending on a number of factors and availability, couples may request to have the sperm collected and frozen at the time of the vasectomy reversal froze and banked as “insurance,” just in case at no additional cost (6).
If wives are unable to join the partner here during the vas reversal, we still call each on the phone with updates from the operating room throughout the surgery and on completion, plus we email a copy of the personalized discharge book and photos of the sperm and key portions of the surgery.
Going above and beyond for each patient is what we are all about at ICVR.
After the Vas Reversal
While he is resting in a private recovery room, we review in detail exactly what was done during the vas reversal, going over digital photographs we provide that are taken of key points in his surgery. Both the nurse and the doctor will review the instructions for each patient to be followed after leaving the Center. We provide a detailed review of each recommendation and the logic behind each recommendation, just in case each patient feels the need to “negotiate” his care (a normal male trait). We also provide an outline of the medications he will need to take, including the doses, timing and potential side effects to watch out for. A contact sheet is also included, providing the personal cell phone numbers of both of the doctors that may be needed to contact for any urgent calls, after hours and on weekends, so our patients have access 24/7.
We discuss all aspects of care, including care of the scrotal incision, use of ice, and all precautions, restrictions and suggestions for care. Each doctor will discuss the timing of avoiding sexual activity. We will also talk about follow-up semen analyses to monitor results to ensure the highest success rates.
If there are more questions about vas reversals, fertility and care, we are available to talk. Ask us about a no-cost, pre-surgical consultation by phone, office visit, Face Time, Zoom, or Skype at a time that is convenient for each couple.
This page was reviewed, edited and updated June 13, 2023 by Sheldon Marks, MD.
References:
1.Mui P, Perkins A, Burrows PJ, Marks SF, Turek PJ. The need for epididymostomy at vasectomy reversal plateaus in older vasectomies: a study of 1229 cases. Andrology 2014;2(1):25-9.
2.Perkins A, Burrows P, McCauley T, Ax R, Marks, SF, Redo Vasectomy Reversal Intra-Operative Findings Indicate Incorrect Initial Reversal Technique. American Society for Reproductive Medicine 64th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, November 8-12, 2008.
3.Perkins A, Burrows P, McCauley T, Ax R, Marks, SF, Redo Vasectomy Reversal Intra-Operative Findings Indicate Incorrect Initial Reversal Technique. American Society for Reproductive Medicine 64th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, November 8-12, 2008.
4.Sharma R, Biedenharn KR, Fedor JM, Argawal A. Lifestyle factors and reproductive health: taking control of one’s fertility. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2013 Jul 16; 11:66.
5.Kovac JR, Scovell J, Ramasamy R, Rajanahally S, Coward RM, Smith RP, Lipshultz LI. Men regret anabolic steroid use due to lack of comprehension regarding the consequences on future fertility. Andrologia 2015 Oct;47(8):872-8.
6.Schrepferman CG, Carson MR, Sparks AE, Sandlow JI. Need for sperm retrieval and cryopreservation at vasectomy reversal. J Urol. 2001; 166:1787–9.
