Menstrual pattern changes following laparoscopic sterilization: a comparative study of electrocoagulation and the tubal ring in 1,025 cases.

This investigation compared the effects of the laparoscopic occlusive techniques of unipolar electrocoagulation and the tubal ring on subsequent menstrual patterns. The question of whether sterilization, in general, causes menstrual pattern changes is also addressed. The 1,025 cases constituted a data set collected by investigators at five institutions in five countries. After controlling for prior contraceptive use, the two techniques were compared with respect to menstrual cycle regularity, cycle length, flow duration, amount of flow, dysmenorrhea and intermenstrual bleeding. In this series, approximately 10% to 50% (depending on the menstrual parameter) of the menstrual pattern changes seen within six months following sterilization could be attributed to the discontinuation of the Pill or IUD at the time of sterilization. The majority of the women experienced no menstrual pattern changes following sterilization. There was no statistically significant difference between the two occlusion techniques in terms of the proportion of women who reported changes in any of their menstrual parameters. The theory that sterilization causes menstrual pattern changes rests on the hypothesis that the greater the degree of destruction of the uteroovarian vascular anastomosis (as with unipolar electrocoagulation), the greater the amount of subsequent menstrual pattern disturbance. Our findings suggest that this hypothesis is not valid.