Medical Questions » Contraception Questions » Question No. 229
| Question: | Why do so many women need a hysterectomy after a tubal ligation? I am considering having my tubes tied, but I don' t want a hysterectomy, as I am only 33 years old. What should I do? |
| Answer: | Before a tubal ligation, the vast majority of women arc faking the oral contraceptive. This pill regulates periods so that they are not heavy, not painful and very predictable. If the pill is stopped, the periods will return to the way they would have been if the pill had never been taken.
This sudden change can be a shock to the system because the periods may become irregular, heavy and painful. The solution to this is to start the pill again, use other hormones on a regular basis, put up with the problem or have a hysterectomy.
The high hysterectomy rate after tubal ligation is therefore not due to the operation but due to the cessation of the previous form of contraception. Hysterectomies in this situation may not be medically essential, but they can certainly improve the quality and style of life for a woman who has no intention of having further children and who may be house (or even bed) bound every few weeks by her menstrual cycle.
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