INFLUENCE OF THE TUBE STERILIZATION ON OV ARIAN-FUNCTION

Disturbances of menstrual cycle, as well as premature onset of climact erial symptoms, are discussed as late complications of diverse techniq ues of tubal sterilisation. A disturbance of the ovarian function is r egarded as cause for the disorder known as ''post-tubal ligation syndr ome''. This study should help to clarify if tubal sterilisation via bi polar high-frequency current influences the course of perimenopause. 1 09 patients were examined, who had been sterilised by this technique a t the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of the University of Co logne during the period 1980 to 1984. 103 patients formed the comparis on group, all of whom had neither undergone tubal sterilisation nor hy sterectomy. The age of these women of both groups ranged between 36 an d 51. Patients of both groups were interviewed personally with regard to cycle irregularities, climacteric symptoms, and onset of menopause in the form of transverse examination. Simultaneously, blood tests wer e performed to establish the endocrinological status, and to examine F SH and 17-beta-oestradiol levels. Summing up, this study led to the fo llowing conclusions: 1. Menstrual disturbances, climacteric symptoms a fter tubal sterilisation during perimenopause do not occur more freque ntly than in a comparative group of the same age. 2. In comparison wit h a group of women with no surgical history, neither did cycle anomali es and ovarian deficiency symptoms in terms of climacteric complaints occur earlier, nor did early onset of menopause take place more often in this examined group of sterilised women. 3. Hormone analysis could not establish any significant differences between both groups in respe ct of endocrinological parameters in the perimenopause. It can be show n that is neither a premature elevation of FSH nor an early decrease o f 17-beta-oestradiol levels of sterilised patients in the perimenopaus e.