Growing up, did you ever dream of what your family might look like? What type of house you’d live in and if you’d have any pets? Who your partner would be or how many kids you’d have?
Whether your dreams have changed or stayed the same, there might come a point in your life when you’ve decided you’re done having kids. The reasons for making this choice are deeply personal and unique. Whether it is for medical reasons or family planning, tubal ligation is a safe option for permanent birth control.
Tubal ligation is the blanket term for the process of blocking eggs so they cannot travel from the ovaries to the uterus via the fallopian tubes. There are different types of tubal ligation procedures that all result in the obstruction of the fallopian tubes. Keep reading to learn about the different tubal ligation options your doctor may use to “tie your tubes”.
1. Bipolar Coagulation
Bipolar coagulation is one of the most popular ligation methods in the United States. During this procedure, small forceps that conduct electricity grasp the fallopian tube. The forceps then pinch the tube and pass electrical current through that section of tissue.
The electricity damages the tube and blocks it off at that point. Often, the surgeon will pinch the tube once or twice more right next to the first spot to ensure the tube fully closes off.
After a reversal, pregnancy rates for this sterilization procedure are relatively high (60%). However, they can be lower if a large section of the tube was damaged.
2. Fimbriectomy
A different method of tubal ligation is a fimbriectomy. During a fimbriectomy, the portion of the fallopian tube closest to the ovary is removed. Any egg released by the ovary would be unable to travel down the fallopian tubes.
Reversal rates with this procedure are incredibly low. Therefore this is not recommended unless patients are 100% sure they do not want any more kids.
3. Tubal Clip
A tubal clip procedure involves applying a permanent clip around the fallopian tube. this procedure results in minimal scar tissue and damage to the tube, as opposed to an older, outdated method known as an Essure implant. Check out this blog to learn more about Essure removal if you have this procedure.
4. Tubal Ring
Similar to the clip method, the tubal ring attaches around the outside of the fallopian tube to produce a blockage. The doctor will take a silastic (silicone rubber) band and wrap it around a doubled-up section of the fallopian tube. As the band tightens, it restricts the route of the egg to the uterus.
Talk To Your Doctor About Tubal Ligation
This article gives you an overview of tubal ligation. Now you know about a few methods for this sterilization process. Together with your doctor, you can decide which method will be best for you!
There’s so much out there about your health to learn. Take it all in by reading more on our blog today!