When considering having a tubal ligation, many women wonder whether the procedure will have an adverse effect on their libido. After all, there is no point in having a permanent birth control procedure if you have no interest in sex afterwards anyway!
It is fairly common for a woman to experience a shift in libido directly after having a tubal ligation. Often this is due to a shift in blood circulation in the pelvis as a result of the procedure. The change in blood flow can affect the ovaries, which could mean that your ovaries (which regulate your hormones) may need some recovery time to rejuvenate and start producing the hormones governing your sex drive once again.
Further, if you (like many women) underwent your tubal ligation immediately following childbirth, your mothering instincts and the hormones that produce breast milk may be overriding your sex drive. Your energy resources are likely going toward mothering your new child, and therefore may be undermining your sex drive for awhile. This is normal. Only about 10 percent of women experience any sort of difficulty after a tubal ligation, including a change in their sex drive.
Other factors may affect your sex drive after a post-pregnancy tubal ligation, too, and these include the change in your relationship dynamics with your partner, the quantity and quality of sleep you are now receiving, and a possible change in your nutrition. It is important to realize that if the birth of your child and your tubal ligation occurred in close proximity, your change in libido is likely more related to child birth rather than the ligation surgery.
If you had your tubal ligation after the age of about 40, your may be entering peri-menopause, a pre-menopause phase earmarked by a variety of symptoms including a decrease in sex drive. A decreased libido in this case may not be related to the tubal ligation as much as it is a symptom of peri-menopause.
If you suspect that your change in libido may in fact be related to your tubal ligation, consult your doctor. Simple blood tests can rule out other possible factors and your physician can work with you to determine the best course of action for your particular situation.