Hi MG

While I didn't face the issue myself my understanding is that sperm quality is generally pretty poor because of the vas. From memory what happens is that after a vas sperm are still produces but they die as they can't go anywhere and this changes the environment within the testes slightly and reduces the quality of the new sperm that is produced.

What this means is that they may have to use a type of IVF called ICSI (depending on sperm quality and there isn't really a way of telling until you get a look at it) As an aside, your DH does know how they get it out doesn't he? Mine would have freaked and put a stop to everything if someone had gone near his boys with a needle!

Back to the serious point though - just because he was clearly fertile before isn't a guarantee that he still will be quite as fertile as he was before. But I am absolutely not saying that IVF won't work, but it may be that you would have to use a significantly more expensive process - I'm not sure of the current costs in Sydney but when we did ICSI last year it was just over 10K.

Several of the IVF clinics give an indication of costs on their websites - and it may be that if you want more than one kid together it may be cheaper to have a reversal (although as you said - you hear plenty of stories where reversals don't work).

Whatever happens that you have a little bundle of joy in your arms soon.