To be sterilised or not?

[flamebobo]

Hi all I’m currently 32 weeks with my 3rd baby and it looks like she will be born within the next 2 weeks via elective section. I have a history of high risk pregnancies including my first little girl being stillborn💔

pregnancy doesn’t agree with my body and for both subsequent pregnancies since my stillborn I have had nothing but problems and have had to be admitted to hospital a few times due to various reasons. My last little girl was also born at 34 weeks and needed 3 weeks of scbu before she could come home. As said above it is highly likely that that will be the case this time too.

i really cannot do pregnancy again as it’s such a difficult time for me and also super high risk. This will also be my third c section so will also be high risk for further sections if I did have anymore. I’ve been offered to have my tubes tied during my c section but I’m unsure what to do.

Has anyone had this done? If so have you ever regretted it since? Did it cause your monthly cycles to get worse? Like I said I really don’t plan on having anymore children but I also don’t want to have it done and then regret it further down the line in years to come.

any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hi - sorry no personal experience (yet - will do this if I have a CS with current baby). However - I’m not sure other peoples’ experiences with regretting it or not, will help you to know whether you’ll regret it yourself, as everyone’s situation will be different and it’s such a personal decision. What studies about regret seem to show is that if you’re still quite young you’re more likely to regret it, older less likely;

The most important thing is probably, are you 100% sure you don’t want any more children? If not, then don’t get your tubes tied. Are you in a solid relationship that you see lasting the distance, or is there a high chance maybe you’ll have another relationship in future where a new partner might impact your wishes around more kids? Have you had a good discussion with your midwife or doctor about good long acting alternatives? Copper coil or mirena, implant, vasectomy for your partner?

you don’t have to answer any of these questions on here of course - just trying to provide you some prompts or ways to consider the decision.

re making periods heavier - that is definitely reported but the general thinking is, is that it’s not so much periods being heavier, it’s that women who have tubes tied are no longer taking hormonal contraception, or having pregnancies, so their “real” periods are what they’re experiencing, and sometimes those will be heavier than if you’re on the pill or have a coil for example.

I hope that helps at least a little, good luck with your decision :)

Yes I had a T/L with a Cs on my third (actually twins so second and third).
It was a great choice and I have never regretted it for a second

I’ve never regretted being sterilised. It has no impact on your periods BTW. I’ve often thought ‘what would it have been like if I’d had another baby’ but that’s not the same as regret.