Once a man decides to get a vasectomy it's a done deal. But what if he changes his mind? That's the case with one couple, who tells our Victoria Maranan how a permanent procedure was reversed on this week's "Health and Medicine."
Mitch and Jessica Gottlieb could barely contain their excitement.
Mitch just had surgery to reverse a procedure done a few years ago.
"Eight years ago, I had a vasectomy so I won't have any more kids -- pure and simple. And then I met her in 2010 and we wanted to start a family," he said.
The couple explored their options, which included in-vitro fertilization.
But Dr. Herb Singh, of Urology Austin, advised against it. He recommended vasectomy reversal with the assistance of a robot.
"Traditionally, we used to use an operating microscope, but now my preferred way of doing it is with a da Vinci Robot. That allows for more precision, better visualization and it also allows 3D vision," said Singh.
Singh said human hands are limited when performing surgery on a very fine area, daintier than human hair.
"The line of a .7 pen would be thicker than the channel we're trying to re-establish. So, depth perception is very important," said Singh.
Singh said the longer a man waits to reverse the vasectomy, the less effective it could be.
But, after eight years, the Gottliebs consider themselves lucky.
"I don't like to brag, but he did commend me that I had some powerful swimmers in there once he reconnected it," said Mitch.
"And we got pregnant pretty quickly," said Jessica.
"Yes," replied Mitch.
Singh says anyone who's had a vasectomy and would like to have kids naturally are eligible for the procedure.