Tubal ligation recovery is a safe and highly effective surgical procedure of birth control. The present article gives you some basic information about the process and recovery.
Tubal ligation is described as a surgical form of sterilization. The purpose is permanent birth control. The surgery involves blocking of the fallopian tubes by tying, attaching, or sealing with a ring or clip. Fallopian tubes are the structures of the female reproductive system that carry the fertilized ovum to the uterus. Since the path is blocked by ligation, the sperm cannot reach the ovum, and pregnancy cannot take place.
Procedure
You will undergo a complete medical examination, including the required diagnostic tests. By studying the data obtained from observation and testing, the doctor will review the potential risks and benefits of tubal ligation in your case. He will also look at other options, and thereby advise you about the best possible one for you. If this sterilization procedure is expected to be safe and secure in your case, he will move ahead and give you a date for the surgery.
Depending upon your medical state and circumstances of the surgery, you might be asked to follow some instructions. Some of them are as mentioned below.
- Go for colon cleanse.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Do not have dinner a day before surgery.
- Do not smoke a couple of weeks prior to surgery, as it retards the healing time.
In the operation theater, the doctor will prepare your body for the surgery.
- He will administer a general anesthetic to put you to sleep. He may also use local freezing.
- When the anesthetic agent has produced its effect, the doctor will place a speculum into your vagina.
- He will place a small instrument at the end of your cervix. This instrument helps the doctor move the uterus in different positions easily. The doctor needs to move the uterus to get a clear picture of the pelvic structures as seen through a laparoscope.
- The doctor makes a cut at a point just below the navel. He inserts a trocar through this cut into your abdomen. A trocar is a tube which the doctor uses to fill your abdomen with carbon dioxide gas. Again, the purpose is to get a clear picture of the pelvic structure.
- He will now insert a laparoscope to see the inside of your abdomen on a video screen. The doctor blocks the tubes with clips or bands, or will cauterize with the help of electric current.
- Sometimes, the need may arise to make a larger incision in the lower abdomen to block the tubes with clips, burning or cutting, and tying.
Tubal ligation being an outpatient procedure, you will most likely be discharged on the same day.
Tubal Ligation Recovery
After gaining consciousness, you may feel mild abdominal pain and cramps, dizziness, nausea, shoulder pain, and tiredness. You may also experience bloating and general fatigue. The general anesthesia may cause throat soreness. You should not drive or perform strenuous physical activity for the next 24 hours. All these symptoms, if apparent, will last for 5-6 days. You will return to your usual routine, and start leading a normal life within a week or so after the procedure.
Recovery time of tubal ligation depends on a number of factors. They include your ability to tolerate pain, the type of anesthesia used, and your body’s natural ability to heal. As the wound at the site of the surgery heals, you may find it to be sore. You may get tired in the evening, and notice minor changes in your bowel movements.
The abdominal pain and discomfort usually go away with pain killers. You will continue your menstrual cycle. The tubal ligation surgery does not alter your menstrual cycle. Its effectiveness in birth control is high, about 99.20% on an average. In 2-10 out of 1000 cases, failure is reported.
If you think that your family is complete, and you do not want to get pregnant anymore, you can consider going for this procedure. In addition to giving you a permanent result, it is a safe and effective surgery. It does not affect your menstrual cycle, and is also believed to lower the risk of ovarian cancer. Discuss your case with your doctor to make a decision.
Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only and not intended to replace the advice offered by a medical expert.
