How effective is a tubal ligation?
The Pearl index is 0.6/100 women years (failure rate for 100 women using the method for one year). Failure of tubal ligation may occur quickly after the procedure in the event that complete tubal occlusion is not achieved or many years after the original procedure due to fistula development between the two occluded tubal remnants. The ten-year cumulative probability of failure is affected by age at the time of tubal sterilization. The probability of failure is greater for women sterilized before age 30 than for women sterilized after that since the natural fertility declines with advancing age.
