Reversal of female sterilization. Review of 252 microsurgical salpingo-salpingostomies.

Over a 10-year period from December 1972, the reversal of routine surgical sterilizations in 252 women resulted in a high rate of subsequent full-term pregnancies. The ages of these women ranged from 22 to 40 years (average, 32.5 years), and the parity ranged from 0 to 4 (average, 2.1 children). A meticulous microsurgical approach was employed for all tubal reconstructive operations. Pregnancy usually occurred within 12 months of the reconstruction (75%), but, occasionally, it occurred within the first two months (8%). In the group of 68 women, in whom the previous sterilization procedure had affected only the isthmial section of the fallopian tube, a remarkable full-term pregnancy rate of 93% was achieved. It is, therefore, recommended that all sterilization procedures in women should be performed in the mid-isthmic portion of the tube, because reversals of sterilizations in this area have the best chance of success.