Menstrual pattern changes in laparoscopic sterilization patients whose last pregnancy was terminated by therapeutic abortion. a two-year follow-up study
Kwak, H.M.; Chi, I.; Gardner, S.D.; Laufe, L.E.
Journal of Reproductive Medicine 25(2): 67-71
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0024-7758 PMID: 7411527 Document Number: 162278
Between 1973 and 1975, 2501 women were sterilized by laparoscopy at the Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, Korea. The women were used as their own controls in a follow-up study of the changes in menstrual patterns following sterilization. Tables present the results of the study. In the electrocoagulation group, twice as many patients changed from regular to irregular cycles than the other way; there was no such difference among the tubal occlusion group. More patients in both groups experienced a decline in menstrual flow. The aging of the patients and the fact that some had had therapeutic abortions prior to or concurrent with the sterilization procedure did not have any effect on the observed changes in menstrual cycles. Changes in menstrual cycle length, duration, and amount seemed to be associated with the type of contraceptive used previously. Controlling for prior contraceptive usage caused the observed differences in menstrual cycles to disappear.