Sterilisation (Female / tubal occlusion)

The recovery time may differ for individual women based on your general health and whether the procedure was done under local or general anaesthetic. You will usually be allowed to go home after you've recovered from the anaesthetic, passed urine and eaten something. You may need to rest for a few days after the procedure. You doctor should tell you what to expect after the procedure, how to look after yourself and your wounds, and what to do if you feel unwell or have questions.

Sterilisation prevents pregnancy by stopping eggs from reaching the sperm and becoming fertilised. You will still ovulate (release an egg) but the egg will simply be absorbed into your body instead of travelling down your fallopian tube. Your menstrual cycle will not be affected and you will continue to have periods as you were before the procedure.

No. Sterilisation does not cause early menopause. Female sterilisation is a permanent surgical procedure to block or seal a woman’s fallopian tubes (the tubes down which a woman’s egg travels from the ovaries to the womb). Sterilisation prevents pregnancy by stopping eggs from reaching the sperm and becoming fertilised.Your menstrual cycle will not be affected and you will continue to have periods as you were before the procedure. Eggs will still be released from the ovaries as normal, but they’ll be absorbed naturally into the woman’s body.

Tubal ligation does not affect your hormones or menstrual cycle and is not linked to weight gain.

Female sterilisation (also known as laparoscopic sterilisation or tubal ligation) is a permanent surgical procedure to block or seal a woman’s fallopian tubes (the tubes down which a woman’s egg travels from the ovaries to the womb). Sterilisation prevents pregnancy by stopping eggs from reaching the sperm and becoming fertilised. Eggs will still be released from the ovaries as normal, but they’ll be absorbed naturally into the woman’s body.

You will need to discuss getting a female sterilisation in detail with your doctor – they will ask you a number of questions around your circumstances and you may want to discuss it with your partner if you have one. If you decide to go ahead with it, you can get a sterilisation for free on the NHS but may need to wait several months on a waiting list. Sometimes it can be done at the same time as a caesarean section. You'll need to use contraception until the day of the operation, and for at least 7 days afterwards. The procedure may be done under general, regional or local anaesthetic. Your length of stay in hospital will depend on this. You will normally feel a little uncomfortable and will need to rest for a few days afterwards. Your doctor or nurse will give you information about how to look after yourself.

As the procedure is an operation requiring anaesthetic, your surgeon should discuss the associated risks of surgery with you before the procedure is carried out. If female sterilisation fails, and you do become pregnant, there is a small increased risk of ectopic pregnancy. You should seek advice straight away if you think you might be pregnant or have a light or delayed period, unusual vaginal bleeding, or if you have sudden or unusual pain in your lower abdomen. It's important to remember that sterilisation does not protect you from STIs.