Tubal ligation is the most popular form of permanent female sterilization in the U.S. today. This surgical procedure is done to restrict the sperm from meeting the egg within the fallopian tube. While the majority of women appear to suffer little to no side effects, it's thought that up to 37% of those that have their tubes tied end up suffering from a host of symptoms that together are called Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome or ptls for short.

Any woman who is thinking about having her tubes tied should do her own research into post tubal ligation syndrome. Asking your doctor won't be enough as many do not believe it exists. However, as a point of your research you are probably most concerned with learning who is most at risk from suffering this condition and what causes it.

Who Is At Risk Of Developing Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome?

Although many doctors believe the studies which conclude that ptls does not exist, there are other studies which point out that certain women will be more at risk of developing it, or as they put it, menstrual disorders. The factors that put these women at a greater risk are their age when they have their tubes tied and what form of tubal ligation they have.

If a woman has had her tubes sealed through cauterization rather than using clips or rings, she has a much greater chance of developing PTLS. More specifically, bi-polar coagulation, as the doctors call cauterization, or any type of ligation which is more destructive to the fallopian tubes will put a woman at greater risk of developing post tubal ligation syndrome.

Furthermore, a woman who undergoes tubal ligation in her 20's is at far greater risk of developing this particular condition than those women who undergo it in their 30's or 40's. This conclusion was reached as a result of a study of women who ended up in the hospital for menstrual disorders. It found women who had their tubes tied in their 20s were six times as likely to end up in the hospital.

What Causes Women To Suffer With PTLS?

The main reason for a woman to develop PTLS is thought to be that the levels of estrogen or progesterone hormones in the body decline rapidly creating a lack or a hormonal imbalance. One cause could be this is caused as a result of the amount of blood being supplied to the ovaries being reduced or eliminated when the procedure has been carried out. Another possible cause is damage done to the receptor cells which relay the messages about what hormones to release when and in what amounts.

The best way for a woman to reduce the chances of her developing PTLS after undergoing tubal ligation is to use a surgeon who is qualified to carry out this procedure. Hopefully, he will be aware of the possible side effects of having your tubes tied and will take care not to damage the blood supply to the ovaries. Has your doctor discussed the possible side effects with you?

If, however, you are already suffering from the symptoms of post tubal ligation syndrome after having your tubes tied, you are probably more interested in what can be done to alleviate the symptoms. The best thing is to have a tubal reversal, though your doctor may suggest a hysterectomy. Which you choose is up to you, but please investigate the side effects of both. Whereas one side effect of tubal reversal, beyond relieving post tubal ligation syndrome, is the possibility of having a baby, some possible side effects of hysterectomy can be similar to the ones of tubal ligation due to ovarian isolation. You really should do your research before considering the second possible "cure".