My girlfriend and I have been together for about 2.5 years. She is 34 years old and has two kids. She had average to difficult pregnancies and was on bedrest for the last part of her second pregnancy. Her youngest is 7. When she had her second she underwent tubal ligation surgery (sterilization). To my knowledge she has never had a miscarriage.
She has since divorced, and now she and I are discussing marriage, and having a child of our own. She isn't comfortable with the prospects of multiple births and high cost of invitro fertilization, and for various reasons we both prefer having a child naturally rather than adoption.
I wanted to know if anyone has suggestions or input regarding the safety of her having the surgery, and the safety and likelihood for a successful pregnancy. I'd be particularly interested in anyone who has undergone a reversal like this...
Check your insurance benefits. Reversal of tubal ligations is considered to be related to infertility services and May or may not be a covered benefit depending on your plan. If its not a covered benefit. The cost of it may be something to take into consideration. Is your GF the diabetic??? I think if she is, a lot of things need to be taken into consideration. Regardless of whether she is or not, maternal age is a bit of a factor, the fact that she's had average to difficult pregnancies and the second being on bed rest. I think there are a lot of things to take into consideration in addition to the likelihood of how successful or not surgery to reverse tubal ligation may be. It is my understanding they do not always have a very high success rate and the fallopian tubes are usually crushes or severed and scar tissue is created and they cannot always be reconnected successfully.
Her insurance will not cover tubal ligation reversal, so it would cost us around $7000.
My GF does have diabetes, and the hospital reports an 80% success rate for pregnancy within 18 months if the reversal is performed at age 35 or younger.
I am primarily interested in the complications that diabetes may add to our situation. We've done a lot of research on the standard risks and potential complications, but how might diabetes impact things?
Are you a Type 1? If so there is a good chance your child will be a T1 and of coarse it's risky and there is some risk doing the Reversal . She will be 60 when the little one gets finished with collage how old are you? Not saying it's a bad decision just thinking out loud. My daughter just had a spinal disk implant after her second child she lost most of feeling in her leg because of a ruptured disk, shes 32 and child birth was very hard on her. I love my two grandsons but I would still love my daughter just the same if she had not had them.
You are asking us to respond to a question about the impact of diabetes on pregnancy (which can be huge) while asking us to ignore all the numerous other risks the poor woman already has from other health conditions. We can assume that at least one pregnancy was difficult and required extensive bedrest, from your message. Diabetes can not be separated from the rest of a person's health. Other health issues affect how well diabetes can be managed. And vice versa. Healthy women try to get even healthier, with near-perfect diabetes control, before getting pregnant - at least the knowledgeable ones do.
In my view, the only people who can contribute to her answer are her endocrinologist, her OB-Gyn, her internist, and herself. And they all have to be informed about all of her other health issues. She is the one who would be undertaking the health risks. Note plural risks. You make it sound like if we say yes, no problem with diabetes, that the decision will be made. I can't make it that easy for you. Diabetes is a complicated disease and affects every person differently. I hope that your girlfriend fully considers what she, and her two children, would be risking if she has another pregnancy. Maybe not much; maybe a lot. I don't have enough info and don't think anyone here will to be able to advise on such an enormous decision.
Actually I just want to try to be as informed as possible before we even start down the road of talking to doctors. Obviously this is an emotional issue for us both and I would never want her to risk her health so I could have a child. I thought maybe this community would be a good place to start.
You make it sound like I'm trying to force her in to something that would hurt her. I love her more than anything, and I would never want to risk her long term health so we could have a child together. I wouldn't want to even start down that road. I'm not asking you or anyone to do anything but to give me judgement free advice. I'm new to Diabetes, and still learning. Thanks.
It's a really difficult decision to make, I really think your best bet would be first for her to get her diabetes, especially since she is a bit older under the best of control as possible. Second I'd find a Doctor who really specializes in high risk pregnancies. Diabetes or not, her age certainly is borderline for putting her at an increased risk for birth defects and complications, diabetes just throws another set of issues into the mix. Every diabetic is different, every pregnancy is different, every diabetic's pregnancy is different. I think there are certainly a lot of things to take into consideration, and while not entirely impossible, you and your GF need to be well prepared, and if you decide to try to have a child, start off with the best control possible prior to even starting. Consulting with her health care providers, and a provider specialing in high risk pregnancy, and maybe even genetic concealing due to advancing age, for a full work up prior to trying to become pregnant would be the best place to start. I don't think any of us here can say yes or no whether it's a good idea or not, that is a very personal decision to make, but we can all provide advice as to the best ways to procede with obtaining the information as to whether this is a decision you wish to make together. And if it is, then I wish you and your GF the best of luck.
Hi Tom, I'd suggest posting this question in the group "Oh Baby." It's a very active group and there are a lot of women in that group with lots of different experiences with diabetes & pregnancy and a host of other high risk things, including infertility related things. They might have some more specific advice for you guys, or at the least, may be able to share similar experiences. Good luck with whatever you guys decide!
