You had tubal ligation (or "tying the tubes") surgery to close your fallopian tubes. These tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus. After tubal ligation a woman is sterile. This means you can no longer get pregnant.
Your surgeon probably made 1 or 2 small cuts in the area around your belly button. Then your surgeon inserted a laparoscope (a narrow tube with a tiny camera on the end) and other instruments into your pelvic area. Your tubes were either cauterized (burned shut) or clamped off with a small clip, a ring, or rubber bands.
You may have many symptoms that last 2 to 4 days. As long as they are not severe, these symptoms are normal:
You should be able to do most of your normal activities after 2 or 3 days. But, you should avoid heavy lifting for 3 weeks.
Follow these guidelines after your procedure:
Call your doctor or nurse if you have:
Also call your doctor if your incisions are red or swollen, become painful, or there is a discharge coming from them.
Sterilization surgery - female - discharge; Tubal sterilization - discharge; Tube tying - discharge; Tying the tubes - discharge
Mishell DR Jr. Family planning: contraception, sterilization, and pregnancy termination. In: Katz VL, Lentz GM, Lobo RA, Gershenson DM, eds. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2007:chap 14.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Sterlization for men and women. ACOG Education Pamphlet AP011. February 2005. Accessed February 4, 2011.
Updated by: Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Bellevue, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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