What is Tubal Ligation
Commonly referred to as “having your tubes tied”, tubal ligation is a form of permanent birth control for women. Tubal ligation can be performed under general, regional or local anesthesia. Often, it can be performed on an out-patient basis, a situation in which the patient returns home on the same day the procedure is performed
During the tubal ligation, the surgeon (or, in some cases, the OB/GYN) will employ one of several methods to access the woman’s Fallopian tubes. Using the laparoscopy method, a small incision is made just below the woman’s navel. Then, a scope is inserted through the incision to view the Fallopian tubes. Then a second instrument is inserted through an incision just above the pubic bone, and the tubes are either blocked by clips or rings or cauterized using an electrical current. Sometimes another, larger, incision is required in the lower abdomen to block the tubes. In total, the procedure takes anywhere between 10 and 45 minutes.
Following the procedure, it usually takes the patient about two to five days to recover, although it may take longer. Determining factors for length of recovery include the patient’s pain tolerance, the type of anesthesia used, and the patient’s general ability to heal quickly.
The result of the tubal ligation procedure is that about 1 inch of each of the woman’s Fallopian tubes is blocked off. Therefore, eggs released from the ovaries cannot travel down the tube into the uterus, and sperm cannot make contact with the egg, making conception nearly impossible. Tubal ligation should not interfere with a woman’s normal menstrual cycle or hormone levels. Moreover, after the healing period has been observed, the patient can enjoy a normal sex life once again and she should not experience any negative effects during intercourse as a result of the surgery.
It should be noted that although a tubal ligation makes conception all but impossible (although pregnancy after the procedure has been reported in about 2 percent of women who have had a tubal ligation), it does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases. Couples are advised to continue to use condoms to protect against contracting STDs.