--- title: "Tubal Ligation at Age 20 | Sutter Health" description: "What are the risks of getting your tubes tied? Are your early 20s too soon to get this procedure done?" url: "/ask-an-expert/answers/tubal-ligation-at-age-20-1051061453" --- 1. Home / 2. Tubal Ligation at Age 20 # Tubal Ligation at Age 20 * * * Medically reviewed by - Ryszard J. Chetkowski, M.D. ## Question What are the risks of getting your tubes tied? Are your early 20s too soon to get this procedure done? ## Answer In general, tubal ligation is a very safe procedure, associated with the small risks of laparoscopy and anesthesia, in a healthy woman, regardless of her age. However, other permanent methods of tubal sterilization have been recently developed which involve hysteroscopy rather than laparoscopy. Laparoscopy involves placement of instruments through the abdominal wall, while hysteroscopy provides access to the tubes at their insertion into the uterus, through the cervical canal, without any incisions. Thus hysteroscopy is generally safer than laparoscopy. However, the major issue here is not the safety or side effects of either surgical approach, but rather the best choice of contraception for a woman in her early 20s. At such a young age, permanent surgical sterilization is much more likely to lead to future regret than it would for women above the age of 30. If your life circumstances should change over the next 10-20 years (as they are likely to do), you may be faced in the future with complex and costly procedures to restore fertility such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or tubal microsurgery. Highly effective, safe and convenient reversible methods of contraception, such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) and hormonal preparations, are widely available and may meet your needs without restricting your future reproductive options. ## Explore related topics Women's healthGynecologic HealthPregnancySexual health and relationshipsFamily Planning / Birth Control ## Related questions View all questions - Health Q&A ### Bleeding After a Hysterectomy I had a hysterectomy in June. I still have my tubes and ovaries and a small bit of cervix. Why and how am I still having full periods every month? Where is this blood coming from? - Health Q&A ### Hysterectomy Recovery and Exercise I just had a vaginal hysterectomy last week. When can I start exercising again and what type would be best? - Health Q&A ### Birth Control Choices Other Than The Pill I'm 38 and have been in a relationship for three years. I've been on the pill for 20 years and don't want more kids, but I don't like the melasma side effect of birth control pills. I've considered an IUD but know someone whose device migrated. Options? - Health Q&A ### Birth Control During Menopause I am 51 years old. What is my chance of still getting pregnant, and how should I handle birth control as I move through menopause? - Health Q&A ### Chronic Pelvic Pain From IUD? I'm female (36) with a Mirena IUD. I have lower abdominal pains that feel like my uterus is being squeezed. It's worse after my period or intense orgasms. My IUD was checked and it's in the correct place. View all questions ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/tubal-ligation-at-age-20-1051061453#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Tubal Ligation at Age 20"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/tubal-ligation-at-age-20-1051061453#medicalwebpage","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/tubal-ligation-at-age-20-1051061453","name":"Tubal Ligation at Age 20","description":"In general, tubal ligation is a very safe procedure, associated with the small risks of laparoscopy and anesthesia, in a healthy woman, regardless of her age.","inLanguage":"en-US","medicalAudience":{"@type":"MedicalAudience","audienceType":"Patient"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/tubal-ligation-at-age-20-1051061453#breadcrumblist"},"mainEntity":{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/tubal-ligation-at-age-20-1051061453#question","name":"Tubal Ligation at Age 20","text":"What are the risks of getting your tubes tied? Are your early 20s too soon to get this procedure done?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/tubal-ligation-at-age-20-1051061453#answer","text":"In general, tubal ligation is a very safe procedure, associated with the small risks of laparoscopy and anesthesia, in a healthy woman, regardless of her age. However, other permanent methods of tubal sterilization have been recently developed which involve hysteroscopy rather than laparoscopy. Laparoscopy involves placement of instruments through the abdominal wall, while hysteroscopy provides access to the tubes at their insertion into the uterus, through the cervical canal, without any incisions. Thus hysteroscopy is generally safer than laparoscopy. However, the major issue here is not the safety or side effects of either surgical approach, but rather the best choice of contraception for a woman in her early 20s. At such a young age, permanent surgical sterilization is much more likely to lead to future regret than it would for women above the age of 30. If your life circumstances should change over the next 10-20 years (as they are likely to do), you may be faced in the future with complex and costly procedures to restore fertility such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or tubal microsurgery. Highly effective, safe and convenient reversible methods of contraception, such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) and hormonal preparations, are widely available and may meet your needs without restricting your future reproductive options.","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/tubal-ligation-at-age-20-1051061453","author":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/tubal-ligation-at-age-20-1051061453#expert"}}},"publisher":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization"},"reviewedBy":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/tubal-ligation-at-age-20-1051061453#expert"}} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/tubal-ligation-at-age-20-1051061453#expert","name":"Ryszard J. Chetkowski","honorificSuffix":"M.D."} ```