Pregnancy after sterilization is very common

Tubal sterilization is believed to be a permanent method of birth control and is the most common method of contraception in the world. However, a new study by the University of California, San Francisco reports that tubal surgery fails so often that other types of birth control are often more effective.

The authors found that 3 to 5 percent of women in the United States who had their fallopian tubes tied later reported an unplanned pregnancy. This failure rate led the authors to suggest that patients who really want to avoid future pregnancies should instead use an implant in the arm or an intrauterine device (IUD).

This study shows that tubal surgery cannot be considered the best way to prevent pregnancy. According to statistics, approximately 65% of women aged 15 to 49 in the United States use contraception, and tubal sterilization is used by more than 21% of women aged 30 to 39 and 39% of women over 40 years old. These surgeries are especially common among people with low incomes and those with chronic medical conditions.

Tubal sterilization aims to end fertility completely, but as previously reported, women can still get pregnant. According to previous studies, the American Academy of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has reported that less than 1% of patients become pregnant after tubal ligation.

In the new study, the authors examined four independent waves of the National Survey of Child Growth from 2002 to 2015. We collected data from more than 31,000 women, including 4,184 who reported that they had received tubal sterilization and were the focus of the study.

The researchers estimated that, during the first year after tubal surgery, 2.9% of women who reported being sterilized between 2013 and 2015 became pregnant. The possibility of pregnancy is higher among women who are younger at the time of tubal surgery.

When choosing the location control method that works best for them, people consider many factors, including safety, convenience, and how quickly you can start using the method. For people who have chosen the appropriate method, finding out that they are pregnant can be very sad, however they should remember that this is a common experience.

The article was published in the journal NEJM Evidence.