Does tubal sterilization influence the subsequent risk of menorrhagia or dysmenorrhea?

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the relation between tubal ligation, change in menstrual cycle characteristics, and early follicular phase hormones.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis of women 36-44 years of age.

Setting: The greater Boston area.

Patient(s): Nine hundred seventy-six premenopausal women with intact uteri.

Intervention(s): A comparison of women with and without a history of tubal ligation.

Main outcome measure(s): Menstrual and reproductive histories were self-reported. Early follicular phase blood samples were obtained to assess FSH, LH, and E(2). We compared menstrual cycle changes from the first 5 years after menarche with completion of the baseline questionnaire in women with and without a prior history of tubal ligation.

Result(s): Cycle length, cycle regularity, menses length, flow volume, dysmenorrhea, and hormone levels were similar in women with and without a history of tubal ligation. However, among parous women with a history of cesarean section, those with a tubal ligation >5 years ago experienced a marginal increase in volume of menstrual flow compared with women with no tubal ligation history.

Conclusion(s): We found no significant change in menstrual cycle characteristics or hormone levels in women with or without a history of tubal ligation. However, tubal ligation may have a modest effect on the change in menstrual flow volume over time among parous women with a history of cesarean section.