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Effect of female partner age on pregnancy rates after vasectomy reversal.

Gerrard ER, Sandlow JI, Oster RA, Burns JR, Box LC, Kolettis PN

Division of Urology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-3411, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of female partner age on pregnancy rates after vasectomy reversal. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Two academic infertility practices. PATIENT(S): Men undergoing vasectomy reversal and their partners. INTERVENTION(S): Microsurgical vasectomy reversal. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Patency and pregnancy rates. RESULT(S): Two hundred ninety-four patients met the inclusion criteria. Groups were similar with regard to types of procedure performed (vasovasostomy or vasoepididymostomy), obstructive interval, female factors, number of repeat procedures, and quality of vasal fluid. Patency rates were 90%, 89%, 90%, 86%, and 83% for patients with female partners aged 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, and 40+ years, respectively. Pregnancy rates were 67%, 52%, 57%, 54%, and 14% for patients with female partners aged 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, and 40+ years, respectively. The pregnancy rate for couples with female partner aged 40 or older was lower than for those with the female partner aged 39 or younger (14% vs. 56%). CONCLUSION(S): Pregnancy rates for vasectomy reversal were good regardless of female age as long as the partner was 39 years old or younger. Pregnancy rates were lower if the female partner was 40 or more years old.

Published 4 June 2007 in Fertil Steril, 87(6): 1340-4.
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