Tubal Ligation & Tubal Sterilization - Disadvantages & Risks

Each and every day, women across this country are making life impacting decisions about their fertility and methods for contraception. For many women, the use of The Pill is the method of choice while, for others, surgery may be a viable option.

Surgical procedures to provide aide in contraception are referred to as tubal ligation or tubal sterilization. For many women, this contraception and sterilization procedure is completed immediately following the birth of a child. If you are a woman considering tubal ligation, it is important to weigh all options for contraception and know the risks and complications that may be associated with this surgical procedure.

As a general rule, tubal ligation is a safe and effective surgical method to permanently prevent a woman from conceiving. The key word here is "permanent". While there have been many claims of reversible tubal ligations, also commonly referred to as "untying tubes", women who choose tubal ligation should essentially prepare for the permanence of the procedure.

In addition to the permanence of the tubal ligation procedure, if you are considering this surgery as a contraception option, be sure your obstetrician, or surgeon, discusses all potential risks and complications with you. Again, while the procedure is generally safe and carries low risk, there are still women who suffer from complications such as hemorrhage and organ damage and, in some cases, the simple use of anesthesia may result in complications.

In addition to the permanence and risks following surgery, it is also important that you understand the tubal ligation, or tubal sterilization, procedure will not prevent sexually transmitted diseases. For this reason, many women who undergo tubal ligation still find they must use other forms of "contraceptive" devices so as to further protect their health and prevent STD transmission with new partners. In these cases, the use of a condom is quite common.