Does tubal sterilization influence the subsequent risk of menorrhagia or dysmenorrhea?
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relation between tubal ligation, change in menstrual cycle characteristics, and early follicular phase hormones. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of women 36-44 years of age. SETTING: 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 ligat
