Postpartum Tubal Ligations

How does postpartum tubal ligation work?

Postpartum tubal ligation, sometimes referred to as postpartum sterilization, is a type of permanent birth control. It works by surgically closing off a woman’s fallopian tubes to prevent eggs from moving through these tubes to reach the uterus, while also preventing sperm from reaching the egg. 

Tubal ligation can be performed at any time, but postpartum tubal ligation happens 6 weeks after giving birth. If you have a Cesarean delivery, tubal ligation can occur immediately after your baby is born.  

It’s important to carefully consider any form of male or female permanent birth control. While it’s possible to attempt to reverse this surgical alteration, your risk of a successful pregnancy after tubal ligation is very low.

What are some benefits of postpartum tubal ligation?

After childbirth, your uterus remains enlarged for some time. This pushes your fallopian tubes closer to your abdominal wall, just behind your belly button. If you’ve delivered your baby via Cesarean section, your specialist already has easy access to your fallopian tubes. 

In many cases, you’ll already have some form of anesthesia in place to help control the pain of labor and delivery. Having tubal ligation performed shortly after giving birth often means you don’t need additional anesthesia. 

No matter how simple your labor and delivery process might be, there’s always a period of healing as your body adjusts. If you choose to have postpartum tubal ligation performed shortly after childbirth, you can move through the healing process all at once, rather than coming back in for tubal ligation at another time.  

Is the recovery process difficult after postpartum tubal ligation?

Your recovery process is shaped by the techniques used during your tubal ligation procedure. After your procedure, you may experience one or more of the following:

• Abdominal cramping
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Bloating
• Gassiness

As mentioned above, women who choose to have postpartum tubal ligation can “combine” recovery from this procedure with the general recovery process that moves forward after labor and delivery. 

If you’d like additional information, book a consultation at South Valley Women’s Health Care today. Online booking is available around the clock, or you can call to check availability.