Harlow Bernard L, Missmer Stacey A, Cramer Daniel W, Barbieri Robert L
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Obstetrics and Gynecology Epidemiology Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Fertil Steril. 2002 Apr;77(4):754-60. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(01)03253-8.
To evaluate the relation between tubal ligation, change in menstrual cycle characteristics, and early follicular phase hormones.
Cross-sectional analysis of women 36-44 years of age.
The greater Boston area.
PATIENT(S): Nine hundred seventy-six premenopausal women with intact uteri.
INTERVENTION(S): A comparison of women with and without a history of tubal ligation.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Menstrual and reproductive histories were self-reported. Early follicular phase blood samples were obtained to assess FSH, LH, and E(2). We compared menstrual cycle changes from the first 5 years after menarche with completion of the baseline questionnaire in women with and without a prior history of tubal ligation.
RESULT(S): Cycle length, cycle regularity, menses length, flow volume, dysmenorrhea, and hormone levels were similar in women with and without a history of tubal ligation. However, among parous women with a history of cesarean section, those with a tubal ligation >5 years ago experienced a marginal increase in volume of menstrual flow compared with women with no tubal ligation history.
CONCLUSION(S): We found no significant change in menstrual cycle characteristics or hormone levels in women with or without a history of tubal ligation. However, tubal ligation may have a modest effect on the change in menstrual flow volume over time among parous women with a history of cesarean section.
