The effect of bilateral tubal ligation on menopause age and symptoms

Abstract

Background/Aim: Bilateral tubal ligation (BTL) is an effective and safe method for family planning; however, the blood supply of the ovaries may be affected during the procedure. There is suspicion that women may enter menopause early once BTL is performed. Although some studies in the literature have evaluated bilateral tubal ligation’s effect on ovarian reserves and function, studies investigating its effect on menopause age and symptoms are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of bilateral tubal ligation on menopause age and symptoms, eliminate women's hesitations, and guide the clinicians. Methods: Two hundred postmenopausal women with no comorbidities which may affect the ovarian reserve and menopause symptom severity were included in this case-control study. One hundred women who had undergone bilateral tubal ligation constituted the bilateral tubal ligation (BTL) group, while 100 women who had not undergone any surgery, including bilateral tubal ligation, and who had not received medical treatment and naturally gone through menopause, constituted the control group. Data of all patients regarding menopause age, obstetric history, and educational status were collected. The ‘Menopause Rating Scale’ was applied to the groups to assess the severity of menopause symptoms. Bilateral tubal ligation age was recorded for the study group. The results were compared using statistical methods. Results: The mean menopause ages of the bilateral tubal ligation and control groups were 48.30 (3.5) and 47.67 (4.3) years, respectively (P=0.250). The two groups were similar in terms of somatic (P=0.744), psychological (P=0.930), and urogenital (P=0.477) menopause symptoms. The mean age at which bilateral tubal ligation was performed in the bilateral tubal ligation group was 37.33 (4.6) years. Conclusion: The bilateral tubal ligation procedure did not affect menopause age or the severity of menopause symptoms.