Tubal sterilization is thought to be a permanent form of birth control and is the most common method of contraception nationally. But a new study led by UC San Francisco reports that tubal surgery fails often enough that some other forms of birth control are usually more effective. The authors found that 3 to 5% of women in the United States who had their tubes tied later reported an unplanned pregnancy.
This failure rate led the authors to suggest that patients who really want to avoid future pregnancy should instead use a contraceptive arm implant or intrauterine device (IUD). The paper appears August 27 in NEJM Evidence . Interest in permanent contraception has risen since the 2022 U.
S. Supreme Court Dobbs decision removed federal protections for abortion services and limited access to abortion services in many states. As a result, the researchers say that information about contraceptive effectiveness is especially important.
"Since the Dobbs decision, many more people are worried about how pregnancy may impact their health and family life," said first author Eleanor Bimla Schwarz, MD, chief of the UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General. "This is especially true for patients with medical conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure that can complicate pregnancy. "This study shows that tubal surgery cannot be considered the best way to prevent pregnancy," Schwarz said.
"People using a contraceptive arm implant or an IUD are less l.