Getting tubes tied vs IUD

[dottedcircles.livejournal.com]

Hey ladies,

First I want to say thanks for existing.. You are all so supportive and sweet. I love this community!

My post is behind the cut because it's lengthy, I don't want to stretch your friends lists too much...




I just found out I'm pregnant. I am going in to the Dr. tomorrow for a "real" pregnancy test and to talk about all my options on prenatal care. I'm really, really excited! This is my first (and hopefully only) pregnancy.

I have been wondering about getting my tubes tied and if that is even an option. I will be 24 after delivery, I am tad bit overweight and not really interested in having anymore kids. This one wasn't planned, and it's not that I don't want any more kids, I just don't want my more of my own. I plan on adopting or fostering in the future.

I do not have health insurance right now and plan on going on the Oregon Health Plan. My girlfriend has also given me the option on going on her health care as her domestic partner. I haven't decided which one to chose yet though. Does insurance (state or otherwise) usually cover this procedure?

What is your opinion on this procedure at my age? I know it's permanent, but I don't think I will change my mind. My mother had this done after me (age 23) but she already had 3 kids.

Does it affect your horemones at all? I have been known to get really down with even the slightest change in my horemones. (Main reason I'm not on BC, have had some really scary episodes with depression.)

Now about IUDs..

I have been thinking about getting one for a while. When I was 19 I went in to PP in California and they told me I had to have at least one pregnancy to qualify. I spoke with a friend in Oregon last year and she said that they didn't ask for that qualification in Oregon. That doesn't really apply to me anymore I guess though... Have options changed?

I have been worried that it will affect my sex life. I usually have orgasms by really deep intercourse against my cervix. I have been with one woman that had an IUD and I was actually able to feel it poking out of the cervix. Is that normal? I have a feeling that it will effect me in such a way that I won't enjoy the thrusting against my cervix anymore.(I'm also concered about this after pregnancy, like my cervix won't be as sensitive as before.. Did you notice a change in the way your cervix felt pleasure after you delivered?)

All the questions I'm looking for answers to are in bold for easy replying.

Thanks for taking the time to read this!
xoxo
Mamma Co!

Comments

[mrsnoname1999.livejournal.com]

I have been wondering about getting my tubes tied and if that is even an option.
I was 26 when I got my tubes tied, though at that point I'd already had 4 children. When I'd had the third, I was the same age as you, and it was an option we considered - so yes, I would think it would be an option for you.
Does insurance (state or otherwise) usually cover this procedure?
Mine did. (I had UniCare HMO at the time.)
What is your opinion on this procedure at my age?
Well, since I was barely older than you when I got mine done, I think you can guess what I'm going to say. ;) Seriously though, if you're absolutely sure you don't want another child, I'd say go for it. But like the other responses so far have said, if you're not absolutely, positively 100% sure, I'd go with the IUD instead. For myself, after already having had 4 children, I knew there was no way we could have another.
Does it affect your horemones at all?
Not in the slightest. Your reproductive organs still work the same way they always did, it's just that the egg is basically trapped in the fallopian tubes, where it's eventually re-absorbed by your body.
Have options changed?
From my observations, the rules on IUDs are different depending on location and doctor. It seems to be one of those things that not everybody can agree on, so you'll find some doctors saying there's no way a nulliparous woman could have an IUD, and some others will say there's no reason she CAN'T have one.

Since I've never had an IUD, I can't really answer the rest of those questions, though.

One thing I wanted to add, though, is that what ever_abstract said about tubal = cesarean? Not true. Not for everybody, in any case. I'm sure there are probably doctors out there wanting to make a buck (or 20,000) and will perform unnecessary procedures, but when I got mine, the plan was for me to have my tubal the day after delivery, via laparoscopic procedure. (I did end up having a cesarean, but that had absolutely nothing to do with the planned tubal.) The one thing I found odd was that my husband had to sign a form giving me permission to get my tubes tied. THAT was strange. But since you're not married, I don't think it would be an issue for you.

Oh, one last thing. And my doctors made sure I understood this before signing any of those forms: a tubal will make your periods "worse" than before. It's my understanding that in some women, it lessens over time, but it's been almost 7 years for me and they're still horrible. I bleed profusely (if I use a tampon, it's soaked through in 1-2 hours) and I get cramps from hell. Like I said, some women seem to "grow out of it" after a while, but unfortunately for me, that hasn't been the case. But I'm still glad I was warned about it beforehand.