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8- Tubal ligation and vasectomy: Why not tubal ligation instead of a vasectomy?

Before deciding which partner in a relationship will undergo permanent sterilization, learn about the choices and the pros and cons. Fortunately the choices are straight forward – for male sterilization there is vasectomy and for female sterilization there is tubal ligation.

Often a couple decides they no longer desire more children and seek a simple, fool-proof birth control. Both vasectomy and tubal ligation are each a solution offerring a permanent birth control option. Vasectomy procedures now outnumber tubal ligations in some cities, clearly indicating a shift in people's thinking about permanent contraception, but tubal ligation is still more popular overall. So when thinking, why not a tubal ligation instead of a vasectomy, its important to learn about both procedures, including recovery, possible complications, long term consequences associated with tubal ligation and vasectomy and which is more effective. Once you know the pros and cons about vasectomy verses tubal ligation, then you and your partner can make a decision you both will feel comfortable with. Here are a few basic points:

Tubal Ligation and Pregnancy: What are the chances of getting pregnant after tubal ligation?
A recent study has estimated that pregnancy after a tubal ligation happens for 143 women in 10,000 after a tubal ligation, making the percentage about 1.43%. The odds of becoming pregnant after tubal is less than all other forms of birth control (except vasectomy) when you take into consideration that all the other contraception methods are subject to human error. Many of these pregnancies actually turn out to be ectopic pregnancies because of the change made to the fallopian tube during a tubal ligation.

Pregnancy after Vasectomy: What are the chances of getting pregnant after a vasectomy?
After a vasectomy, the male is asked to have their semen checked for sterility. Once this is confirmed, there remains only a very small chance of becoming pregnant. To elucidate this risk, if 3000 couples were sexually active and did so unprotected for 10 years, one pregnancy would result in the entire group over that 10 year period.

Reversing a Vasectomy and Tubal Reversal
Tubal reversal is possible, and so is reversing a vasectomy, but both procedures should be considered permanent. The cost of vasectomy reversal and the cost of tubal ligation are high, rarely covered by insurance and success is far from full-proof.

Tubal Ligation Risks are Higher
A tubal ligation carries a greater potential health risk for a woman than a vasectomy does for a man. This is because a tubal ligation requires a general anesthetic, and introduces the chance of abdominal trauma during the surgery. It also increases the risk of other life-threatening complications such as an ectopic pregnancy. Consider also that a tubal ligation costs the medical system significantly more than a vasectomy.

Learn more: Vasectomy verses Tubal Ligation

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