Long-term effects of endoscopic tubal sterilization: 750 cases
Mertz, A.; Wiedemann, R.; Eschbach, J.
Journal de Medecine de Strasbourg 10(1): 29-34
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-7905 PMID: 12262156 Document Number: 449372
This article analyzes long-term side effects, especially sexual side effects, of tubal endoscopic sterilization. A retrospective study was conducted on 251 cases representative of a group of 400 sterilized women. Only 1.9% of women complained of pain after the intervention, and 1.7% still feared pregnancy. 17% who presented gynecological disorders prior to intervention declared that their problems had disappeared, but 19.1% complained of new problems, usually pain. Sexual life was unchanged for most patients; 28.7% experienced increased libido, and 9.4% decreased libido; frequence of copulation remained unchanged, and 36.6% of patients signaled an improvement in family life after the intervention. Only 2.4% regretted the intervention. Age and parity should be carefully considered in a patient seeking sterilization, as well as psychiatric indications. The marital situation of the couple also should be investigated; indeed a decision about sterilization should be taken by the couple, and not by the woman alone. Requests for sterilization should be examined by a doctor and by a psychologist, and very often an alternate method of contraception should be offered instead of sterilization.