Julia Smith, RN discusses preparing for tubal reversal surgery and why patients travel from across the US and abroad to Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center for their reversal procedure.
We are available 7 days a week to help you, respond to any questions you may have, arrange for your tubal reversal, and follow-up with you after you return home. You can reach us by email, phone, or fax at the numbers listed on our contact page
Choosing A Tubal Reversal Doctor
Availability, Experience, and Customer Service
We know what a leap of faith patients make when they travel from across the country or the world for surgery. At Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center, our staff is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer questions and provide information.When you come to Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center for your tubal reversal, you will be under the care of a highly trained and respected specialist who is recognized for the improvements he has brought to the field of tubal reconstructive surgery.
Dr. Berger graduated college with honors from Harvard University and from the University of Rochester Medical School. Following medical internship at Duke University Medical Center, he began his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He served in the US Public Health Service at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer in the Family Planning Evaluation Program.
Dr. Berger completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology and simultaneously obtained a Master's degree in Maternal and Child Health at the University of North Carolina School of Public Health at Chapel Hill. During his appointment as Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the UNC School of Medicine, Dr. Berger trained abroad in tubal microsurgery techniques and initiated the tubal microsurgery program at the UNC Medical Center. Dr. Berger then entered private practice specializing in tubal reconstructive surgery.
Dr. Berger developed the outpatient technique for tubal ligation reversal. He has performed more than 6000 of these procedures and has acquired the greatest experience with this operation of any reproductive surgeon worldwide.
Dr. Berger's techniques optimize the outcome and reduce recovery time and cost of tubal reversal surgery. His staff maintains an electronic patient database that provides accurate and up to date statistics about pregnancy rates after tubal reversal for his patients.
Learn more about Dr. Berger's credentials on the Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center web site.
Why Choose Us
Why patients travel from across the US and abroad for tubal reversal surgery with Dr. Berger.
We keep very detailed data and statistics on each of our patients (age, tube length, medical history, tube of tubal ligation, etc.). This is obtained by daily contact with our patients to ensure we have accurate information regarding their surgery and their outcome. Dr. Berger is the only doctor with published data regarding outcomes following reversal surgery. On the Internet, claims about tubal reversal pregnancy rates are often made without supporting information or documentation - such as a description of the patient population, study method, and follow-up interval. Most Internet sites about tubal reversal do not provide any factual data at all. Any doctor may say that his patients have a particular success rate, but supporting the claim with actual data involves considerable effort. Performing a follow-up study such as this one requires keeping an accurate record of patients and their findings, as well as maintaining ongoing patient contact. That is the only way a doctor can actually know what the pregnancy and outcome statistics are for his patients. Without this detailed type of information, the accuracy of any claim of success rates should be questioned.
At Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center, nurses enter information into an electronic patient database at the patient's registration, the surgical procedure, and from regular post-operative communications with our staff. If we have not heard from patients after their recovery from surgery, our nurses contact them at 6 and 12-month intervals. We know of no other doctor, hospital, or clinic that maintains such ongoing follow-up
Financing for Tubal Reversal Surgery
Pre-payment plan offers option for long-term financing
Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center offers a Pre-Payment Plan option for patients preferring to make long-term payment arrangements on procedures.With the Pre-Payment Plan option, patients can pre-pay the surgical fee without interest prior to the surgery date. To utilize this option, a non-refundable $250.00 processing fee is mailed to us at: Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center, 109 Conner Drive, Suite 2200, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514. At that point, an account is opened in your name and payments of any amount greater than $10.00 can be made as you are able. You do not have to wait until the balance is paid to schedule surgery. However, the balance is due at least three weeks prior to the scheduled surgery date. If you wait to schedule your surgery date until you have reached $5,900.00 in your pre-payment account, you can schedule for this reduced fee. When mailing in payments, please fill out our pre-payment form to send with your payment. This is found on our website page:
www.tubal-reversal.net/tubal_reversal_pre_payment.htm
Am I A Candidate For Tubal Reversal Surgery?
Dr. Berger Is Able To Repair The Tubes In 98% Of Situations
One way to determine what your success rate may be with the tubal reversal procedure is with the operative report from your tubal ligation. There are multiple situations where other doctors could not (or would not) perform the tubal reversal surgery, such as:1. No proximal tubal segment remains and tubouterine implantation needs to be performed.
There are few, if any, other doctors who can perform this type of operation and none could do so as outpatient surgery. At Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center we can and have successfully preformed this type of operation as a simple and easy outpatient surgery.
2. A fimbriectomy has been performed.
Tubal ligation by fimbriectomy involves removing a portion (usually up to one-third) of the fallopian tube closest to the ovary. To our knowledge there are no other doctors performing fimbriectomy reversal.
You can see our documented success rates at http://news.tubal-reversal.net/pregnancy-study-2007-pregnancy_rates.htm. Fimbriectomy has a 56% pregnancy rate.
3. The patient has a proximal tubal segment on one side and a distal tubal segment on the other side.
This is an unusual situation, but Dr. Berger has successfully attached these two segments to create one tube with 2/3 of women becoming pregnant afterwards. This operation has not been described in the medical literature.
4. At the time of surgery, the patient is found to have inherent disease of the fallopian tubes due to tubal endometriosis, salpingitis isthmica nodosa, or pelvic inflammatory disease.
In these situations, Dr. Berger corrects the tubal problem that is due to the diseased condition as well as restoring tubal patency via the most appropriate reversal operation.
In summary, experience is an important indicator on whether surgery will be performed if a woman has a difficult situation due to short tubes, missing tubal segments, fimbriectomy, or inherent diseases of the tubes. While most doctors would be unwilling - or unable - to perform a reversal in one of these situations, Dr. Gary Berger is able to repair the tubes in 98% of cases, regardless of the type of sterilization that has been performed.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
I can be reached by calling 919-656-8204 or by e-mail JuliaS@tubal-reversal.net.
Tubal Reversal Surgery versus IVF
Comparing Costs
For most women tubal reversal surgery is actually the better option. Once your tubes are repaired, there is the chance that you could become pregnant naturally each and every month.
With IVF, you have to be injected with medication and have a minor surgical procedure performed each time you attempt to get pregnant. Based on current national statistics, the pregnancy rate for IVF is approximately 27% and costs between $6,000 to $15,000 for each treatment cycle.
In most cases, tubal reversal is the most successful and cost-effective alternative for pregnancy in women who have been previously sterilized and now desire to have another baby.
You can read more on getting a tubal reversal or IVF on the website at http://www.tubal-reversal.net/tubal-reversal-vs-ivf.htm.
Now You Can Save Money For Tubal Reversal Surgery
Dr. Berger's patients provide support and ideas for those saving funds for surgery.
The Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center Message Board is a great place to find support and answers to your tubal reversal questions. Many of the posts involve finances and ways to save money toward the reversal surgery fee. One member shared her list of ideas, which I have posted here. Others are posted on the message board thread (see the link below).1. Cut cable television down to the basic minimum (depending on your service now, it could be a savings of 30+ a month.
2. Review your cell phone package...if you're always below your minutes- consider reducing the package you have now.
3. If you have a cell phone that includes long distance...cancel long distance service (if you pay for it) on your home phone...or better yet, cancel your service to the home phone all together.
4. Cut down on eating out...(huge savings here)
5. If your family knows about TR, you can ask everyone for contributions for a garage sale..(we did this when we were going to buy a car for my daughter, the whole family pitched in and we made $800 in one day to use towards the car).
6. We cut down on our electric bill every month by changing all the light bulbs to the energy efficient ones...(just need to deduct prior bill with new bill and that would be the amount to put in the piggy bank)
7. Depending how often you run dishwasher- conserve on the electricity it uses and wash dishes by hand (this would go along with the light bulbs and energy used-prior month)
8. Buy items in bulk (in long run it it cheaper)
Read about the other great ideas at:
http://www.tubal-reversal.net/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/3/3996.html#000007
Traveling For Tubal Reversal Surgery
Dr. Berger's staff makes it easy to travel cross country for surgery
At Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center, we know what a leap of faith it takes when patients travel for surgery with Dr. Berger. For that reason, we do our best to keep the process simple and help with travel arrangements. Wherever you are traveling from, Dr. Berger's caring and dedicated staff will help every step of the way, including minimizing travel time by organizing and arranging your entire procedure into one convenient visit.All patients who come for surgery with Dr. Berger stay overnight at The Sheraton Hotel in Chapel Hill, which is located less than 2 miles from Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center. The Sheraton Hotel offers our patients the lowest room rates, guaranteed availability, and free shuttle service to the clinic and to any location within a 5-mile radius. For your convenience, reservations can be made online from our website.
Most of our patients arrive in town and have their consultation the day prior to surgery. On the morning of surgery, the Sheraton shuttle will bring your right to our door and will return you to the hotel a few hours later. On the morning following surgery, a nurse will come to see you at the hotel for a post-operative check-up and you are able to return home at that time.
Dr. Berger has perfected tubal reversal microsurgery into a one-hour outpatient surgery. This enables Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center to offer a reduced fee of $5900. When comparing procedure expenses at other clinics, even after travel costs, you will save money by traveling to see Dr. Berger for surgery. Top it all off with a clinic designed specifically for tubal reversal procedures, the convenience of outpatient surgery, and the 29 years of expertise that Dr. Berger brings to the field of tubal reconstruction surgery, and we are sure that after doing a little research, you will discover that Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center offers offers the best value, quality, and care. After Tubal Reversal Surgery
Patient Follow-up and Physician/Staff Availability
On the morning after your surgery, a Tubal Reversal Nurse will see you at the hotel to check on you and to answer any questions. A nurse will contact you on post-operative day two and three and again two weeks following your surgery. Not only does this allow the nurse to answer any questions or address concerns, but it helps us to improve patient care and customer service by conducting our own survey to determine patient satisfaction as well as any post-operative problems.With any medical procedure it is incredibly important to find a doctor and staff that will be with you for every step of the way. And "every step of the way" doesn't mean until you walk in the door until the minute you walk out the door - it means all the way through the decision to have the procedure, discussing your options, having the procedure done, and any questions or problems you have after the procedure.
Dr. Berger understands this and feels this way, too. He posts on the message board, he answers emails from his patients, and even gives each patient his pager number in case they ever need him. He is available Monday through Friday, 24 hours a day. How many other doctors offer that level of customer service?
Will I Become Pregnant After Tubal Reversal Surgery?
Dr. Berger's success rates following tubal reversal surgery
Prospective patients often ask, "Even if I do get the tubal reversal procedure done, what are the chances I'll conceive?"Dr. Berger is the only doctor who tracks his specific success rate - others doctors will just quote the industry average. Dr. Berger has taken the time and the expense to meticulously keep track of his individual success rates.
Table 1. Pregnancy Rates by Age
Age Total Cases Pregnant (No.) Pregnant (%)
<30 558 460 82%
30-34 496 1130 76%
35-39 1465 978 67%
40+ 506 207 41%
Total 4025 2775 69%
Method Total Cases Pregnant (No.) Pregnant (%)
Ring/Clip 921 697 76%
Ligation/Resect 1604 1098 69%
Coagulation 1188 805 68%
Fimbriectomy 312 175 56%
Total 4025 2775 69%
You can see our success rates at http://news.tubal-reversal.net/pregnancy-study-2007-pregnancy_rates.htm.
One way to determine what your success rate may be is with the operative report from your tubal ligation. This can be obtained from the doctor who performed the surgery or from the medical records department of the hospital where your procedure was performed.
If you would like to forward this information to us, Dr. Berger will review the operative report at no charge and we can contact you regarding possible outcomes for you following reversal surgery. You may fax the records to us at 870-934-9211. Please include all contact information (phone and e-mail) when faxing your records.
Tubal Reversal Surgery Testimonials
Our patients are our best source of referrals
You can often get a good idea of the quality of a professional by hearing what is said about him by others in the same field.Other doctors and nurses have commented on the high quality of work done by Dr. Berger and the staff at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center. Some of those comments are posted below.
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"I have a long academic and career history in healthcare (nationally and abroad). As a result, finding my TR M.D. was something I took extremely seriously, as this would be my one and only chance for more children.
I researched every doc I could in the U.S. and some abroad for 9 months. Basically, I researched from the top down starting with the inventor of microsurgical technique for TR's in Belgium. Then I researched and did background checks on all the U.S. doc's who were trained directly under him.
Doc B was one of them. That's how I ended up doing the surgery in the states. I absolutely would have traveled to Europe for the TR if that's what I had to do, to find the best pair of hands. But after researching the doc's here in the states, I felt confident in Doc B's education, residency, and post graduate training, years of experience, and present outcome measurements and decided to go with him for the TR.
I have never regretted my decision. I don't believe you'll regret it either. He is the best tubal reversal doctor."
Katharine A.
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My OB said the same thing! In fact a different OB delivered my last baby via c-section and said she wouldn't have known I had a TR if she hadn't been told so! They've only had praise for Dr. Berger.
Jeni
You can read more on the Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center website at http://www.tubal-reversal.net/trdoc.htm.
If you are ready to make your dreams of becoming pregnant again come true, call me at 919-656-8204 to schedule your tubal reversal procedure.
Sincerely,
Julia Smith, RN
Nurse Administrator
Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center
www.tubal-reversal.net
Phone: (919) 656-8204
Fax: 870-934-9211
Tubal Reversal Web Pages
- You Too Can Travel From Anywhere In The World To Have Your Tubal Reversal Surgery
- Most of the patients that come for tubal reversal surgery with Dr. Berger are from other states as well as from overseas. To help minimize the time, we arrange to do everything in one visit. Patients have their pre op consultation the day before their tubal reversal surgery and then return the following day for their surgery. After surgery, patients return to the Sheraton Hotel to recover. The day after surgery a nurse visits the patients at the hotel for their postoperative check.
- How You Can Better Prepare Yourself for Your Tubal Reversal Surgery With Dr. Berger
- Each patient that schedules tubal reversal surgery with Dr. Berger is sent a four page handout called "What to Expect". The same information is also on the Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center website for easy access. This information gives patients a clear guideline about what to expect before, during and after their tubal reversal surgery.
- What Everybody Ought To Know About Tubal Reversal Surgery vs IVF
- Tubal reversal surgery has higher pregnancy and birth rates than IVF. The Tubal Reversal Pregnancy Report 2007 is the latest, largest, and most detailed study of tubal reversal pregnancies that exists.
- What Everyone Should Know About Recovery Time After Tubal Reversal Surgery
- Based on over 6000 outpatient tubal reversals performed by Dr. Berger at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center, the usual time for recovery and return to work is one week or less. On the Tubal Reversal Message Board, patients talk about their personal recovery times and how they felt following surgery.
- Now You Can Have Excellent Follow-Up Care After Tubal Reversal Surgery!
- For the best results from tubal reversal surgery, it is important to find a doctor and staff that will be with you for every step of the way. And "every step of the way" doesn't mean until you walk in the door until the minute you walk out the door - it means all the way through the decision to have the procedure, discussing your options, having the procedure done, and any questions you have after the procedure. Dr. Gary Berger understands this and feels this way, too. He posts on the message board, he answers emails from his patients, and he even gives each patient his pager number in case they ever need him. He is available Monday through Friday, rain or shine. How many other doctors do that?
Reader Feedback
i see that you have a payment and if and im going on 41 and was tould that at 41 it the cut off for eggs but i have faith that ill still have eggs but if not do i get my money back
Posted January 24, 2008
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NIKIJOE
5-stars for you - thanks for the wonderful information. Posted January 02, 2008 |
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wildfaith
Thank you Julia. After reading your lens and the one by Dr. Berger I plan to come to Chapel Hill for my reversal. I gave your lens 5-stars. Posted January 02, 2008 |
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Julia_RN
Hi, Sandra: Although the natural fertility rate does decrease as we age, it is possible to become pregnant after the reversal if you are ovulating & having periods. If that is the case for you, then you are not too old for the reversal! Posted December 31, 2007 |
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Julia_RN
Dear Rosbou: Dr. Berger is able to repair the tubes in 98% of casces, including situations where the tubes are blocked at the uterus. This may require a procedure that is a little different from a typical reversal - called tubo-uterine implantation. An illustration can be seen at http://www.tubal-reversal.net/tubal_anastomosis_implantation.htm Posted December 31, 2007 |
hi i am 46 years old willbe forty seven next month ,my youngest is 11. I would like to have anext child .Am I to old to have atubal reversal?
Posted December 18, 2007
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rosbou
If my tubes are blocked at the uterus can i still have a tubal reversal? Posted December 18, 2007 |
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Julia_RN
Hi Michfan: There is an enormous amount of information on Dr. Berger's website: www.tubal-reversal.net. We also have staff available 24/7 to answer questions. The phone number is 919-656-8204. Our blog site is: http://www.tubal-reversal.net/blog & my e-mail address is JuliaS@chfc.net Posted December 15, 2007 |
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michfan
I love this lens. Where can I find out more about Dr. Berger? Posted December 14, 2007 |
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Julia_RN
Hi, Lakitaw. Dr. Berger is the premier reversal doctor & the only one with a practice limited to reversal surgery. He performs 4 a day, 5 days a week. Yes, cost is important. But cheaper is not always better. A $500 car is nice, but not if it can't leave the garage! Check out our testimonials! Posted December 13, 2007 |
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lakitaw
This is a great page.Do you think Dr. Berger is the best tubal reversal doctor? There is a dr in mexico who is cheaper. Posted December 03, 2007 |
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Julia_RN
Hi, Luz. Thanks for posting. Although the natural fertility rate does decline as we age, it is still possible to become pregnant if you are ovulating and having periods. Pregnancy rates for our patients in your age group are close to 50%! Posted November 24, 2007 |
HI JULIA IAM 41 HAVE 4 KIDS MY LIGATION WAS DONE WHEN I WAS 21 I REALY WHANT WHANT ANOTHER ONE YOU THINK IAM TO OLD THANKS.IAM REALY HAPPY TO KNOW THE SERVICES YOUR CLINIC OFFER. THANKS
Posted November 18, 2007
I can't wait to have my tr.I've been researching for 10 months now. At age 35, sometimes I think I'm too old also to have a baby. My husband has none. I'm glad to see there are doctors out here who are able to correct our mistakes,when we realized we were at a different stage in our life.
Posted October 22, 2007
am very happy to view this good information i am looking to have this procedure done next year around feb.2008 i have done alot of resarch i go online everyday and i think u are the best am looking forward to seeing next year for my hubby to be wants a family am scared because of my age am 40
Posted October 16, 2007
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Julia_RN
Dear Donna, thank you. Although the natural fertility rate does decrease as we age, it is still possible to become pregnant if you are ovulating and having periods. Pregnancy rates for our patients in your age group are around 40%. Posted September 15, 2007 |
hi im 46 yrs old and starting over, my son is now almost 10 yrs old. do you think i may be too old to have another child. ive had 8 successful births thusfar i really would love another with my new husband.
Posted September 05, 2007
I was a little hesitant to go through surgery again but am looking forward to having the TR done this winter!!!
Posted September 02, 2007
Thanks for continuing to add information to your page. This is one of many things that Dr. Berger offers that no other place will, true information. There are no suprises for patients when they come. The staff at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center is available anytime to answer questions.
Posted August 08, 2007
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chsc_surgical_techs
A physician this good is hard to find, great service, professional attitude, and one excellent surgeon. This is the choice for reversing your tubal ligation. Posted July 24, 2007 |
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herkie1
I have read about Dr. Berger on the internet, watched his video, and am so impressed with your information. It is pretty clear that he is the best tubal reversal doctor and I will be seeing you soon. Posted July 19, 2007 |
Dr. Berger's office offers an interest free prepayment account that will allow you to save up for the reversal.
Posted July 06, 2007
Dr. Berger is one physician that offers accurate information so that couples can have the opportunity to add to their family or for some to start a family for the first time. It appears that exeptional patient care as well as true statistics are two reasons that patients chose to come to Dr. Berger.
Posted July 06, 2007
can you get a miltary discount
Posted June 29, 2007
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Going2bRN
Good information. I have two friends who went to Dr. Berger at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center. Both have been pregnant after tubal reversal surgery. One has just had her second TR baby and the other is due next month. Keep up the good work Posted June 21, 2007 |
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YellowDogDem
What a great site! I have been researching tubal reversal surgery for several months and this helps me move closer to choosing Dr. Berger as my tubal reversal doctor! Posted June 21, 2007 |
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janhoyle
What a great and informative site! Julia, you have done a good job informing others about the wonderful opportunity for tubal reversal with Dr. Gary Berger. Posted June 20, 2007 |
The best website for tube reversal information. Dr. Berger's expertise, and experience impressed me!! I had to travel out of state for the procedure, but I wanted the best for my tr surgery, and that's what I received. I am very thankful to Dr. Berger and staff. Words can't express my gratitude!
Posted June 19, 2007
This is great information! My husband and I are considering the surgery. We have been married for 10 years and I have 2 older children from my previous marriage, my husband has none. It is great to be able to find the detailed information that we have been searching for so long.
Posted June 17, 2007
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jamib
looks great! Posted June 14, 2007 |
