Tubal Ligation Procedures
February 3, 2022 12:49 pm
Any type of birth control you use has potential drawbacks. Maybe there are side effects you don’t like, or maybe you find your current method inconvenient. If you know you do not want to get pregnant, you may want to consider a tubal ligation procedure, a permanent birth control option for women. The women’s health providers at Magnolia Regional Health Center can help you decide if tubal ligation is right for you.
What Is Tubal Ligation?
Tubal ligation is commonly referred to as “getting your tubes tied.” However, your fallopian tubes—the tubes that allow eggs to travel from your ovary to your uterus for possible fertilization—are not tied during the procedure; they are sealed shut. Tubal ligation eliminates the chance of getting pregnant almost entirely, except in rare cases. Surgery to reverse a tubal ligation is very complicated and expensive, and it only has about a 50% success rate for pregnancy.
What Happens During Tubal Ligation
Tubal ligation is a brief outpatient surgery, although many women choose to have it while they are in the hospital after giving birth. Through a small incision near your navel (or your open c-section), a surgeon will cauterize, clamp or fully remove your fallopian tubes. The risks of the procedure are very small—about the same as any minor surgery. Most women recover from the pain and discomfort within a week (if childbirth is not involved). Costs for a tubal ligation vary depending on your insurance but can be several thousand dollars.
Other Long-term Birth Control Options
If you want birth control you can forget about, but you aren’t sure about permanently removing the option to have children, there are other available options.
- A birth control implant is a tiny rod inserted into your arm. It releases hormones, just like a standard birth control pill, but it stays in place for up to five years. You can have it removed at any time and start trying to get pregnant immediately.
- An intrauterine device (IUD) is a tiny device inserted into your uterus that prevents pregnancy. A copper IUD can stay in place for up to 12 years and does not use hormones. Hormonal IUDs can stay in place for 3 to 7 years, depending on the brand.
If you are in a relationship and your male partner also does not want to have more children, a vasectomy could be an option. This minor surgery cuts the tubes that release sperm into semen, making pregnancy virtually impossible. The cost of a vasectomy is also usually much lower than that of tubal ligation.
It’s important to remember that none of these methods—including tubal ligation—protect against sexually transmitted infections. If you are not in a monogamous relationship, you should still use condoms with your partners.
If you have more questions about tubal ligation or other types of birth control, a Magnolia Regional Health Center OB-GYN has answers. Make an appointment with one of our providers today.
Tags: birth control, tubal ligation, women's health
NewsCategorized in: Women's Health
This post was written by Magnolia Regional Health Center
