TUBAL LIGATION
Tubal ligation is a surgical form of sterilization. It is a permanent form of birth control. During the surgery, the fallopian tubes are blocked; this can be done by tying, sealing, or attaching a ring or clip to them. This procedure can be performed postpartum (at time of cesarean section or within 48 hours after vaginal delivery) or as an interval procedure (performed six weeks after delivery or at any time not related to pregnancy). Postpartum tubal ligation is performed through a small incision under the navel. Interval tubal ligation can be performed through a small bikini type incision or by a technique called laparoscopy. During laparoscopy, the doctor uses an instrument-like telescope, called a laparoscope, to look at the pelvic organs and to block the fallopian tubes.
Tubal ligation permanently blocks the fallopian tubes so the egg cannot move down the tube and the sperm cannot reach the egg, therefore pregnancy cannot occur.
Tubal ligation is 99.20 effective. If a woman does get pregnant after sterilization, there is a greater chance that it is a tubal pregnancy. Failure of the procedure is more likely if a woman is relatively young, because younger woman are more fertile than older women.
Tubal ligation is ideal for those women who are certain they wish no further children and need a reliable contraceptive method. If you are considering tubal ligation, you and your partner should discuss vasectomy, a sterilization procedure performed on men. Compared to female sterilization, vasectomy is simpler, safer, less expensive, and more (99.9%) effective. It is performed under local anesthesia by a urologist.
Tubal ligation is a permanent procedure. You and your partner should be absolutely sure that you do not want anymore children-now or in the future. If there is any chance that you might want to have children in the future, you should think about using another method of birth control. There may be a greater chance that you will regret your decision if:
Although in some cases tubal ligation can be reversed, it is a difficult and expensive operation not covered by health insurance. Afterwards there is a greater risk of ectopic pregnancy. Tubal ligation, in general, is an elective procedure and should be delayed if there is any uncertainty. Laparoscopic tubal ligation is not right for all women. If you have had prior abdominal surgery, are very overweight, or have medical or gynecologic problems, a larger incision and hospital stay may be required.
* The final decision is between you and your doctor.
You may feel some discomfort or have other symptoms that last for a few days:
The incision should be treated as an ordinary skin cut and kept dry for a few days to promote good healing. A bruise around the incision, if present, will soon fade away. If the incision appears infected or if the tenderness lasts longer than a few days, your doctor should check to make sure there is no infection. After the incision has healed, a slight scar will remain. A postoperative check-up will be scheduled for two weeks after the operation.
Call your doctor if you have any of the following problems:
If you should ever get pregnant, you must be seen immediately (there is a greater chance it may be an ectopic pregnancy)
All our staff clinicians are proud to be active and contributory members of the National Abortion Federation (NAF,) and The National Coalition for Abortion Providers (NCAP.)