permanent sterilization - tubal ligation / bilateral salpingectomy
aka “tubes tied”
A tubal ligation is a surgical procedure designed to permanently prevent pregnancy, often referred to as "getting your tubes tied" (though that's not exactly what happens). There are a couple of options for the procedure—either the fallopian tubes are cut and sealed, or more commonly, both fallopian tubes are removed entirely (this is considered a bilateral salpingectomy). This stops eggs from traveling from the ovaries to the uterus and prevents sperm from reaching the egg, effectively preventing fertilization. It’s a permanent form of birth control that doesn’t rely on hormones and is considered highly effective.
Some individuals choose this procedure because it doesn’t require ongoing attention or hormones like other birth control methods
Added bonus, many ovarian cancers originate in the fallopian tubes, so this procedure is actually even risk reducing!
Should one decide to have children after a tubal ligation, they can still proceed with family expansion through IVF
Many patients have reported that it can be difficult to find a surgeon who will do a tubal ligation on someone without children or someone young if they have made the decision they don’t want to have children. Here you can find a google doc list is of physicians who are willing to perform a tubal ligation on patients ages 21+, no matter their marital status or number of children.
