An evaluation of tubal ligation in Switzerland

Summary Psychiatric interviews of 162 patients and questionnaire responses from 833 patients were used to evaluate the long-term outcome of postpartum tubal ligation in Zurich, Switzerland. Criteria were established for inclusion of cases in a normative sample and independent variables possibly related to outcome were isolated. Descriptions of relevant psychic mechanisms were presented. Psychiatric interviews revealed a 15 per cent unsatisfactory outcome rate, and in two fifths of these 24 patients marked psychopathology was found. Only 4 per cent of 833 questionnaire patients indicated dissatisfaction with the results of tubal ligation. Age, number of children, religious affiliation, and indication for ligation had no statistically significant effect on outcome. Postoperative morbidity was negligible. There was 0.9 per cent incidence of failure of the operation resulting in a new pregnancy.