Hi mum2bXX,

It didn't in our case. I think there would always be a small chance of sperm antibodies for anyone who has had the snip. It is a risk but it isn't the dominant risk. Most reversals seem to have a positive outcome with conception happening within the two year period of the reversal procedure. The main risk would be the specialists inexperience (always consider how many procedures they have done and their success rate). And the other risk is scar tissue. But with an experienced surgeon that problem is greatly reduced.

Dr.Woolcott is an expert at what he does, so good in fact that he can tell other surgeons work once he opens someone up just by looking at the way they have worked the original vasectomy.

We chose a reversal as our first choice over IVF as the success rate is greater and now we have a beautiful baby boy to prove that success.(hubby is now now 42 and I'm now 39, although both our B'days were after bub was born). We went through the whole ordeal with the thought if the reversal didn't work we still had the choice of IVF as our last resort. I believe your chances of conceiving through IVF is a lower percentage than a reversal and then trying to conceive naturally. From memory if a vasectomy has been done for 15 years or more the percentage of success is greatly reduced. We were made to feel we would have a positive outcome and we did.

Dr. Woolcott's website is extremely comprehensive. I'm sure you would find the right answers there. There is also a video of a reversal procedure you can watch, it is just amazing! They also break down the whole cost of service and how you can claim through private health funds and medicare. They also specialize in conceiving through IVF. So maybe there would be some more useful information about that on the website as well.

I wouldn't be too worried about the procedure, it is well worth the trouble and although it does mean hubby will have to go under the knife again, I think it is still less invasive that the whole trauma of IVF. All I had to do was start charting my cycle and wait until he had recovered enough before I got jiggy with him. We were very active even before the official sperm count which I think was at the 6 or 8 week mark (I could be wrong with those dates).

It is a hard choice to make and I wish you both all the success in the world, for us reversal has been a dream come true and I'm so happy we went down that path. Good luck.

Mel.