Welcome to the CPTwomen's “Campaign to Inform”
Female Sterilization & Tubal Ligation Side Effects
The Coalition for Post Tubal Women (CPTwomen) advocates for women’s health rights. We work to educate women and the public of side effects of tubal ligation and of all types of female sterilizations which are collectively known as "Post Sterilization Syndrome" (PSS) aka "Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome" (PTS) or (PTLS). There are thousands of websites, doctors, and organizations that explain, promote, and provide sterilization and the tubal ligation procedure, but only here will you find what doctors don't tell you about tubal ligation (and female sterilization) and women working together to create change.
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Tubal ligation, female sterilization, medical devices and treatments which affect the fallopian tubes for the purpose of birth control are conceived to be permanent non-reversible forms of birth control. Tubal Ligation (TL), sometimes called tubal sterilization, female sterilization or “tying the tubes”, is a surgical procedure in which a physician seals shut a woman’s fallopian tubes. This is done surgically using coagulation (burning the tubes) (pomeroy or modified pomeroy ligation, bipolar cauterization of the tubes, or monopolar cauterization of the tubes), or by using a medical devise such as a clip (Hulka or Filshie Clip), a ring, a band, or an Ovalastic, Ova Bloc, Adiana, or Essure type product to seal shut or block (obstruct) the fallopian tube. Other methods of sterilization includes bilateral salpingectomy (removal of both fallopian tubes), fimbriectomy (removal of fimbrial and infundibular portions of the fallopian tube), hysterectomy (removal of the uterus), and using chemicals such as Atabrine or Mepacrine (also called quinacrine) which are place into the uterus in pellet form then dissolve and scar the fallopian tubes causing the tubes to seal shut. Female sterilizations are performed during pelvic surgery, cesarean section (c-section), and by laparoscopy (aka minilaparotomy or “minilap”) while non-surgical (no cut) permanent birth control (PBC) sterilizations are performed using a hysteroscope (hysteroscopy).
Tubal ligation or female sterilization can cause a negative health condition called "Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome" (PTS) or (PTLS) aka "Post Sterilization Syndrome" (PSS). All forms of female sterilization have known and potential negative side effects which women need to be informed of prior to consenting to sterilization. For example, women need to be informed that tubal ligation can cause adenomyosis that manifests as dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) which may require surgical remedies such as dilation and curettage (D&C) or complete hysterectomies to correct excessive bleeding... or that the tubal ligation procedures can affect the blood supply to the ovaries causing anovulation (ovaries failing to normally function or to ovulate), premature ovarian failure (POF), or sudden premature menopause.
For women who had a tubal ligation or have been sterilized, learning about post tubal ligation syndrome (PTLS) or post sterilization syndrome (PSS) after the fact can be harrowing and upsetting, but we believe that receiving information and support to be consoling and empowering. One thing that all women state when learning this information is they are happy to have received the information but “wished they had this information before their sterilization”.
The Coalition for Post Tubal Ligation Women is working to put in place informed consent laws that would make it mandatory for doctors to inform women of the known and potential side effects of sterilization before women consent to the surgery, procedure, or treatment.
Our goals are to:
- Share and disburse information
- Promote change
- Put in place proper inform consent laws