Female Advice Preferred: Tubal Ligation

[XxMallyPrydexX]

Has anyone had this procedure done? What are your feelings on it? I plan on getting it ASAP, since I can't risk any chances of getting pregnant, childbirth/parenting is strictly against my personal beliefs. Does anyone know how much it costs? Or if it hurts really bad? Are there any other options as far as sterilization go? I do not trust any form of birth control that is not 100% effective... Will they even give an eighteen year old this surgery? So many questions...

[Kate*]

Of course the best person to ask would be a gynocologist. I highly doubt that they would give the surgery to an 18 year old unless getting pregnant would cause MAJOR medical problems for you. It's invasive and permanent. I haven't heard of any other sterilization methods other than a hysterectomy. I don't think you'll find many, if any people here who have had it done because of the age range.

As for where I stand with it, I won't know for sure until after I'm done having children, but right now I don't think it's something I'll consider in the future unless I'm told by a medical professional that getting pregnant would be dangerous for me. If I ended up needing a C-section for childbirth and my(future) husband and I decided we were done having kids I might have them do it as part of the C-section. Otherwise I don't think I would do it. I don't plan on having sex until marriage anyway so birth control wouldn't be too much of an issue for me, especially right now.

[Aletheia*]

Katie's right; they WILL not perform tubal ligation on you once you turn 18 unless for medical purposes, i.e. becoming pregnant would seriously harm you or the baby. Tubal ligation is usually done only after you've had one child. I'm guessing they won't do it simply on personal beliefs. However, the best person to ask would be the people who perform the surgery.

[Jas]

Some quick research tells me that the general rule is age 30 and up and generally on those who've finished having children. While some obgyns will perform on women who don't fit those criteria, I couldn't find record of anyone under 24...

...and it's for a valid reason. 18 is very different from 28 is very different from 38 even. The younger tubal ligation is performed, the higher the odds are that one will regret it. I'm not saying that you will change your mind, just that statistics show there is a higher chance of it than if you were older. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2492586/ -> in the long term complications section, although I found the same numbers in several places)

I might add that tubal ligation isn't 100%. Why not consider another form of long term birth control that isn't permanent? (iud? implant?) Some are on par with the effectiveness of tubal ligation.

Last thought, and I would say this to you about ANY procedure you were asking about: do your research. And I mean more than the 10 minutes I spent on google looking up the above. Find your answers for the questions you've asked - google it, call an obgyn, use any resource you can - before you commit yourself to it. I find it really hard to hear you say that you want to 'get it asap' without knowing much about it. You should be informed about what you want to happen to your body!

[guillotine_blades]

I want to add to what everyone else has stated, I have never heard of a doctor performing this surgery on a teenager, and for good reason. Just because you believe something at 18 doesn't mean you will believe it at 35. Maybe look into getting an IUD or the implant that goes in your arm (Implanon) Those methods of birth control are good for anywhere between 3-10 years depending on which one you choose.

[fullofsecrets]

Originally Posted by guillotine_blades

I want to add to what everyone else has stated, I have never heard of a doctor performing this surgery on a teenager, and for good reason. Just because you believe something at 18 doesn't mean you will believe it at 35. Maybe look into getting an IUD or the implant that goes in your arm (Implanon) Those methods of birth control are good for anywhere between 3-10 years depending on which one you choose.

I really agree with the Amber. What you want now may not be what you want in ten years. Because of the medical repercussions I doubt they will perform it on someone so young, but it would be best to talk to your gynecologist. He or she can give you a definite answer.

In the meantime, try other methods of contraception. If you don't want to risk it, abstinence is the only other way to prevent pregnancy.

[Angel]

Tubal ligation is not 100% effective. While the chances of pregnancy are incredibly slim, you must keep in mind that no method is 100% effective except abstinence. Those who do happen to get pregnant after their tubes are tied often experience an ectopic pregnancy. This isn't even to mention that a doctor will not perform a surgery on someone who is so young. My friend is about 20 and she's having an extremely difficult time finding a doctor to perform a tubal ligation on her. In her case, she has pressing health concerns and they are still reluctant since it is a procedure that is meant to be permanent.

If you do plan on being sexually active, the most you can do to prevent pregnancy is by doubling up on contraceptive methods. Look into IUDs or the implant. These methods, on top of condoms, should be sufficient in protecting against pregnancy. The IUD is 99% effective so it's comparable to tubal ligation in terms of effectiveness. If you want any information on IUDs, just give me a little nudge! I've used one for a little while now as my only form of birth control and I've had no problems with it.

[XxMallyPrydexX]

Thank you. And just so everyone knows I DO NOT believe in sex before marraige. I'm talking about after marraige, of course there's always the choice that my fiancee is more than willing to get a vasectomy... but I'm not sure that's what I want him to go through that so I'm just seeing what other possibilities there are. Also, I believe in adoption. If I really wanted kids, I would help one of the thousands out there that were born to poor, abusive, and underage parents and abandoned in an orphanage, so I really don't mind that it's permanent... I'm just not going to ever become pregnant, end of story. I have my reasons... PM me if you're really that interested...

[ReluctantPegasister]

Originally Posted by XxMallyPrydexX

I'm talking about after marraige, of course there's always the choice that my fiancee is more than willing to get a vasectomy... but I'm not sure that's what I want him to go through that so I'm just seeing what other possibilities there are. .

I hope you've found during your research that a vasectomy is easier, cheaper, less painful, less risky, and more reversible the tubal litigation.

[iHEAVENn]

A lot of states have restrictions, some wont do them until you're 25 years old...AND have at least TWO kids already.

You need to look in to your states criteria for tubals if it's truly what you want to do.

[blumemusik♫]

This isn't completely relevant, but my dad had a vasectomy after I and my brothers were born. It's been effective so far

Also, his mate had a vasectomy, but then changed his mind, had it reversed, and is now the proud father of a three day old baby. So I would definitely look into a vasectomy more than tubal ligation because a) it's reversible on the off chance you may change your minds, and b) there would be less complications (eg ectopic pregnancy) if you DID get pregnant with a vasectomy than a tubal ligation.

Like others have said - double up on contraception. Use an IUD/the Pill/one of those implants in your arm AND a condom. This will decrease your chances of pregnancy.

While I agree that adoption is a worthy thing (and I myself want to adopt at least one child alongside one of my own when I'm older,) you may decide, when you're older, that you want your own child. You are only 15, your beliefs may have changed in 10 - 15 years when you decide to settle down and have a family.

Best wishes,
~Kate <3