Tubal Ligation
More than 700,000 tubal ligation procedures are performed each year in the United States-more than fifty percent of done immediately after a woman gives birth. You may be feeling as if your body has gone completely haywire following your tubal ligation. Many women report experiencing a wide variety of changes in their physical and mental health after having their tubes tied. The most common complaints among women following a tubal ligation are significant changes in periods and/or more painful periods, although there are other complications as well. While doctors will tell you that your periods will remain the same as they were before your tubal ligation, many women would say differently.
What is Tubal Ligation?
Tubal Ligation is considered a permanent form of birth control in which the fallopian tubes are surgically closed, effectively stopping the egg from traveling to the uterus from the ovary, and preventing sperm from reaching the fallopian tube to fertilize an egg. During the procedure, fallopian tubes are cut, burned or blocked with rings, bands or clips, making the surgery an immediate form of birth control. The after effect of the surgery, like any surgery, can be abdominal pain, cramps or bloating, tiredness, dizziness, nausea, infection or bleeding, but these are usually mild and short-term.
Risks of Tubal Ligation
As with any type of surgery, there are certain risks involved in tubal ligation, such as infection and uterine perforation. Women who have had a tubal ligation are also more likely to experience a later ectopic pregnancy, which can be potentially life-threatening. Other risks include menstrual cycle disturbances, bleeding or reaction to anesthetics. Menstrual problems following a tubal ligation are likely to be much higher in women who undergo the procedure in their 20's than those who are older, and the tubal ligation technique may sometimes impair blood flow to the ovaries, causing earlier menstrual irregularities.
Mental and Emotional Impact of Tubal Ligation
Many physicians refuse to recognize the symptoms women report following a tubal ligation, dismissing them as being "all in their head," causing those women to feel anger and confusion on top of the symptoms they were already experiencing. So, while they may not be medically recognized, many women report feeling one or more of the following after having their tubes tied: excessive cramps before a period, insomnia, loss of libido, weight gain, hot flashes or night sweats, irritability, mood swings and sudden tears, irregular periods, overwhelming fatigue, difficulty concentrating or mental confusion, memory lapses, aching sore joints, breast tenderness, severe headaches, increase in allergies, dizziness or light-headedness, tingling in the extremities, or changes in fingernails.
Reversal of Tubal Ligation
While tubal ligations are generally considered to be permanent, in certain cases it can be reversed with surgery. Women who have a sizable amount of tubal tissue in place are the best candidates, therefore those who have undergone cauterization for tubal ligation are unlikely to be good candidates for a reversal. Some six percent of women who have undergone tubal ligation end up attempting to reverse the surgery; women over 40 should discuss the chances of success thoroughly with their doctor before attempting the tubal reversal procedure. The overall success rates for tubal ligation reversal can vary widely form 20-70 percent.
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