Debbie More than 700,000 tubal ligations happen each year. During the process, a doctor removes the fallopian tubes. This prevents sperm and eggs from coming together.
If you don’t want to have kids again, you may have already scheduled a tubal ligation procedure. Even with the procedure scheduled, though, you’ve got a few burning questions.
What does tubal ligation recovery look like? What kind of timeline can you expect? When will you get back to work?
We’ll cover these questions and more. Keep reading to learn more about what comes after tubal ligation.
Tubal Ligation Recovery – General Timeline
Broadly speaking, it takes about two weeks to recover from tubal ligation. A spry patient might manage it in one, and a difficult surgery could lead to a three-week or month-long recovery. The tubal ligation recovery timeline gets a little longer if you do it alongside childbirth.
Once you’ve undergone the surgery, you won’t have children without considerable effort. If you do decide to pursue child-rearing afterward, you’ll need to look into these options.
The Day of Surgery
Most patients go home the day of their tubal ligation procedures. The tubal ligation recovery timeline starts immediately. Some complications could lead to an overnight stay.
You’ll start by recovering from anesthesia. If you do head home the same day, this means you’ll need someone to drive you. You may feel dizzy, sore, or out of it.
Expect some pain around your incision sites. Fatigue and shoulder pain also often follow the surgery. You might also feel gassy.
You won’t be able to bathe for a few days after the procedure. This gives your body time to heal without the risk of infection.
The First Week
After about 48 hours, unless your doctor tells you to wait longer, you can start bathing again. Your risk of infection at the surgical site will go down a lot at this point, and your incisions will start healing. Try not to rub, tug, or pick at the incision sites.
Heavy lifting, exercise, and sex remain off-limits at this stage. The tubal ligation procedure involves putting a hole in your abdominal wall, which will need to repair itself.
Depending on how your procedure went, you might be able to start your normal activity again in three or four days.
The Second Week and Onward
You can start resuming normal activity during the second week. This includes sexual activity and may also include normal employment activities.
Don’t do high-impact exercise or heavy lifting until your doctor gives you the green light to begin again. Your body is still at risk.
By the end of the month, you should be ready for anything life can throw at you once again.
Take Your Time With Recovery
While tubal ligation recovery can feel like a race, it doesn’t need to be one. Move at your own pace, and don’t take risks with your healing process. If it takes you a few more days to get back to work or an extra week to start your fitness routine up, so be it.
Looking for things you can do during surgical recovery? Check out some of our healthy living articles for ways to improve your chances of a quick recovery after tubal ligation.
