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Risks
By Mayo Clinic staffTubal ligation is an abdominal operation. Risks associated with tubal ligation include:
- Damage to the bowel, bladder or major blood vessels
- Adverse reaction to anesthesia
- Wound doesn't heal properly or becomes infected
- Prolonged pelvic or abdominal pain
You may be at higher risk of complications from a tubal ligation if:
- You've had previous pelvic or abdominal surgery
- You have a history of pelvic inflammatory disease, obesity or diabetes
A tubal ligation won't protect you from sexually transmitted infections.
In the first year after a tubal ligation, an estimated 1 out of 100 women will get pregnant. The younger you are at the time of a tubal ligation, the more likely the sterilization is to fail. If you do conceive after having a tubal ligation, there's a higher chance that the pregnancy will be ectopic — when the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube.
References
- Zieman M. Overview of contraception. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 23, 2011.
- Frequently asked questions: Birth control methods. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/birth-control-methods.pdf. Accessed Sept. 23, 2011.
- Kottke M. Nondaily contraceptive options: User benefits, potential for high continuation and counseling issues. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey. 2008;63:661.
- Stovall TG, et al. Surgical sterilization of women. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 23, 2011.
- Pollack AE, et al. Female and male sterilization. In: Hatcher RA, et al. Contraceptive Technology. 19th ed. New York, N.Y.: Ardent Media, Inc.; 2007:363.
- Kulier R, et al. Minilaparotomy and endoscopic techniques for tubal sterilization. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2004:CD001328.
- Cunningham FG, et al. Williams Obstetrics. 22nd ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.; 2005:1.
- Stubblefield PG, et al. Family planning. In: Berek JS. Berek & Novak's Gynecology. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2007:287.
- FAQs: Sterilization for women and men. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/faq/faq011.cfm. Accessed Sept. 23, 2011.
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