Why Women Get Tied Tubes Untied

Some women seek to have their tubes untied for many reasons other than to have another child after tubal ligation. Some of the reasons are to: relieve symptoms associated with a tubal ligation (PTLS), feel whole again, be like God intended them to be, comply with their religious tenants, relieve regret of a prior mistake, correct a decision made during a past and difficult relationship, or fill the emptiness from the loss of a child or another loved one.

Over a year ago, I approached Dr. Berger at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center to start a new career as a tubal ligation reversal specialist. When I started to pursue my interest and training in tubal reversal surgery, I naively thought that only women who wanted to have another child had their tied tubes untied. I have come to realize that some women seek to have their tubes untied for many reasons other than to have another child after tubal ligation.

Of course the number one reason is to have more children, but there are many more and equally important reasons patients give. Some common reasons patients come for tubal ligation reversal are to:

• relieve symptoms associated with a tubal ligation (PTLS)
• feel whole again
• be like God intended them to be
• comply with their religious tenants
• feel more like a woman
• relieve regret of a prior mistake
• correct a decision made during a bad relationship
• fill the emptiness from the loss of a child or another loved one

As a generalist ob/gyn, I was always keenly aware of how many women bore both the burden of having children and the burden of sterilization. It was only after I became a ligation reversal specialist I saw how heavy the burden of tubal ligation could be. Now I have the opportunity to help in these situations and feel gratified that my training as a tubal reversal surgeon is progressing nicely under Dr. Berger’s mentorship.

Submitted by Dr. Charles Monteith
Tubal Reversal Specialist in Training
Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center

2 Responses to “Why Women Get Tied Tubes Untied

1. Joy Bryant Says:
   June 21st, 2008 at 2:33 pm
   There are a few good reasons I chose to have a tubal reversal. The main reason is because my husband now forced the issue since he doesn’t have children of his own. My kids who are older now (13 and 11) would love to have a new sibling who is part of me as well as their stepfather. It is a HUGE decision that needs a lot of thought and time put into it. I will be 32 tomorrow and I had been thinking of doing it since I was 28. I am happy to say we are going to TTC later this summer. Many thanks to Chapel Hill staff. Thanks a bunch for giving me this wonderful opportunity to be a new mother again.
   Joy


2. Dr. Berger Says:
   June 21st, 2008 at 3:52 pm I find this to be a most interesting topic. Dr. Monteith’s comments update a previous blog topic that I wrote about Why Tubal Reversal.

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This is topic Why Women Get Tied Tubes Untied in forum After Tubal Reversal at Tubal Reversal Message Board.

Posted by Gary S Berger MD (Member # 3) June 21, 2008 01:55 PM:
Dr. Monteith just posted a new topic on the Doctors Blog section of our website about the reasons women have given to the question why tubal reversal? I thought that this topic may be of interest to some of the members of the message board. You are welcome to post comments on the blog.
Here is a link to his post:
http://www.tubal-reversal.net/blog/2008/tubal-ligation-reversal/why-tied-tubes-untied.html

Posted by jarz (Member # 9286) June 21, 2008 02:38 PM:
It is so true. I did get a TR to have another child but throughout the journey as a matter of fact just soon after my TR I felt like "myself" again, I felt something more was fixed or returned to me that had been taken away without me even really knowing it. I even told my husband a few months after that even if we did not ever have another child, it was money well spent for the what it had given back to my life. Jo

Posted by karend (Member # 10442) June 21, 2008 05:42 PM:
We are so thankful to Dr. B and staff for the chance of becoming new parents again has been a great journey and such a miracle for us!!