Why This Key Chance to Getting Permanent Birth Control is Often Missed
In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's historic decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, doctors say they're seeing a surge in the number of women who want to prevent future unintended pregnancies by getting their "tubes tied."
But a lot of patients fail to actually get this surgery, because an important window of opportunity — during hospitalization right after childbirth — is often missed.
The reasons why range from too-full operating rooms to paperwork problems. This has long been a source of frustration, and it's taken on new urgency now that the court's decision has created a sudden increased demand for this permanent, extremely effective method of birth control.
Tubal surgery, which involves cutting, blocking or removing the fallopian tubes that carry eggs, is the most commonly used form of contraception for women in the United States.
But studies show that about 40%-60% of women who had previously requested to have their tubes tied during a post-delivery hospital stay end up not getting it then. These women face a high rate of subsequent pregnancy.
