CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE:
Tubal ligation is one of the most commonly used contraceptive methods worldwide. Since the controversy over the potential effects of tubal sterilization still continues, this study aimed to evaluate the clinical and psychological repercussions of videolaparoscopic tubal ligation.
DESIGN AND SETTING:
Observational, single cohort, retrospective study, conducted in a tertiary public hospital.
METHODS:
A questionnaire was applied to 130 women aged 21-46 years who underwent videolaparoscopic tubal ligation by means of tubal ring insertion or bipolar electrocoagulation and sectioning, between January 1999 and December 2007. Menstrual cycle interval, intensity and duration of bleeding, premenstrual symptoms, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, noncyclic pelvic pain and degree of sexual satisfaction were assessed in this questionnaire. Each woman served as her own control, and comparisons were made between before and after the surgical procedure and between the two techniques used.
RESULTS:
The clinical and psychological repercussions were significant, with increases in bleeding (P = 0.001), premenstrual symptoms (P < 0.001), dysmenorrhea (P = 0.019) and noncyclic pelvic pain (P = 0.001); and reductions in the number of sexual intercourse occurrences per week (P = 0.001) and in libido (P = 0.001). Women aged ≤ 35 years at the time of sterilization were more likely to develop menstrual abnormalities. The bipolar electrocoagulation method showed greater clinical and psychological repercussions.
CONCLUSION:
Regardless of the technique used, videolaparoscopic tubal ligation had repercussions consisting of increased menstrual flow and premenstrual symptoms, especially in women aged ≤ 35 years, and also had a negative influence on sexual activity.I am very intrigued because this is not what I would have expected.
I was genuinely curious about this phenomenon.
I did a quick search on tubal ligation and libido on PubMed. There did not appear to be any other studies that produced similar results.
The medical community seems to be of the opinion that tubal ligation in general does not cause loss of libido, however a small minority of women do report loss of sex drive.
However, I discovered this website about "post-tubal women" who claim that tubal ligation has caused them quite a few problems.
Post-Tubal Ligation Syndrome is apparently a problem, though like post-abortion syndrome, doctors deny it exists.
And I also discovered this forum as well.
I had no idea about this.
Source:
Sao Paulo Med J. 2014 Aug 22;0:0. [Epub ahead of print]
Clinical and psychological repercussions of videolaparoscopic tubal ligation: observational, single cohort, retrospective study.
Dias DS1, Dias R1, Nahás-Neto J1, Nahás EA1, Leite NJ1, Bueloni-Dias FN1, Modotti WP2.
