A longitudinal follow up study of women undergoing laparoscopic tubal ligation in ludhiana block of punjab india
Benjamin, A.I.
Health and Population Perspectives and Issues 8(1): 19-28
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0253-6803 Document Number: 423860
With a view to study the demographic profile and fertility pattern of acceptors and to find out the post-operative complications, particularly failure, if any, 374 cases of voluntary tubal ligation with the Falope Ring, using the laparoscopic technique, performed in family planning camps in various centres in the Ludhiana (Sahnewal) Block of Ludhiana District of Punjab, were followed up over 2 years for varying periods but not less than 6 months. Findings revealed that 50.8 per cent of acceptors of this facility were scheduled caste women and 65.5 per cent of the acceptors were over 30 years old. A majority of the women, and particularly the under-privileged scheduled caste, accepted laparoscopic tubal ligation after having 4 or more living children of which two or more were male. The women most commonly accepted sterilisation within 12 months of having the last male child. Shoulder pain and menstrual problems were the most common post-operative complications, and the failure rate was found to be 0.53 per cent. The study further revealed that whereas laparocopic tubal ligation is a safe, effective and acceptable method of sterilisation, the demographic profile and fertility pattern of acceptors show that it cannot be expected to influence the birth rate, and hence it is suggested that more vigorous efforts to popularise acceptance of methods other than sterilisation particularly in the younger age-group will have a bigger impact on reducing the birth rate, than the present target-oriented sterilisation campaigns.