Tubal ligation

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Tubal ligation

Tubal ligation - series

Tubal ligation is surgery to close a woman's fallopian tubes, the tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus. The procedure is commonly known as "tying the tubes."

Normally, a woman's fallopian tubes moves eggs from the ovary to the uterus about once a month. If a man's sperm meets up with an egg, pregnancy can result. If the tubes are closed, or "tied," sperm cannot fertilize an egg, and pregnancy will not occur.

Tubal ligation makes a woman permanently sterile (unable to get pregnant).

Sterilization surgery - female; Tubal sterilization; Tube tying; Tying the tubes 

Tubal ligation is done in the hospital or outpatient clinic while you are under anesthesia. The surgeon will make one or two small cuts in your belly area, usually around the belly button. A laparoscope, a narrow tube with a camera on the end, is inserted into the pelvic area. Instruments to tie the tubes are sent thru the laparoscope. The tubes are either burned shut (cauterized) or shut off with a small clip.

The wounds are closed, and you are usually able to return home after a few hours.

Tubal ligation can also be done immediately after vaginal childbirth through a small cut near the belly button, or during a cesarean section.

Tubal ligation may be recommended for adult women who are certain that they do not want to get pregnant in the future. 

While sterilization is very popular, some women who choose to have the procedure regret their decision later. The younger the woman, the more likely it is that she will regret having her tubes tied.

Tubal ligation is considered a permanent form of birth control. It is NOT recommended as a temporary or reversible procedure. However, the operation can sometimes be reversed if a woman later chooses to become pregnant. But, this requires a major surgical procedure. About 50 - 80% of women who have tubal ligation reversed eventually become pregnant.

Review Date: 06/06/2006
Reviewed By: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.