SURGICAL STERILIZATION MAY BE MORE THAN YOU BARGAINED FOR
Surgical sterilization in a woman is known as tubal ligation and is a surgical procedure that interrupts or blocks the fallopian tube of the uterus. This prevents the egg from meeting with the sperm so that fertilization which normally occurs inside the fallopian tube cannot occur It is a permanent form of sterilization and no one should undergo it unless they are absolutely certain that they do not want any more children. Surgical reversal of a tubal ligation can be attempted, but it does not always succeed. Micro surgical reversal of tubal ligation can give pregnancy rates as high as 70%, but a 100% guarantee can never be given and so at the outset it should be considered irreversible. Even if the fallopian tubes can be rejoined with micro surgery it is often impossible to rejoin the ovarian blood vessels that may have been divided or damaged at tubal ligation. Pregnancy following reversal of tubal ligation may be associated with hormonal imbalances, miscarriage or poor growth of the baby and may require hormonal therapy.
Tubal ligation is a very commonly performed operation — with approximately 650,000 American and 50,000 Australian women undergoing it every year.
It is often taken very casually with many women believing it is the easiest thing to do, once their family is complete. Indeed, having your "tubes tied" seems so simple — no more pills or messy diaphragms to remember, just one day in hospital and you're on your way free of the worry of pregnancy. There is no doubt that tubal ligation is effective contraception as the failure rate is very low with three pregnancies in every 1,000 sterilized women. However, it is not always hassle-free and without side effects as you will soon see, and it is a pity that women undergoing or considering tubal ligation as a method of contraception are not always advised of all its possible long-term effects.
*29\5*
