The evaluation of regret status in women following tubal ligation in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Tubal ligation (TL) is increasingly common worldwide. Women may regret after undergoing this permanent form of contraception. This study aimed to investigate the regret rate and the causes of regret in women following TL in Turkey. Materials and Meth- ods: This questionnaire-based study included 253 women interviewed via telephone at least one year after TL. The women were grouped as regretful (n3 1), satisfied (n=170), and undecided (n=52) according to their answers to two questions. The ones who were undecided were excluded from the study. The comparison between the answers of regretful and satisfied women were performed using the Student t- test and the Chi Square test.

RESULTS: The rate of regret after TL was 12-15%. The factors increasing the regret rate were TL before the age of 30, absence of spouse's support, and the thought of inability to have children in future. The percentage of patients stating that they accepted the TL procedure without comprehending its permanent nature or experienced health problems after TL was higher among less-educated women and these were the factors increasing regret rates.

CONCLUSIONS: TL should be performed in women older than 30 years, after an adequate amount of information suited to the educational level of the patient and with full support of the patient's spouse.