Discussions

Hi everyone!  
 
First off: I am 'child free' and I always will be. Please avoid posting comments about how I'll regret not having children, children make life worth living, this is your duty as a woman, etc... I've heard all of it and it won't change my mind. I've not wanted children since I was a small child and I have been considering sterilization since I was a teen. Thank you in advance for respecting my wishes...  
 
Anyways, I've been doing some research on tubal ligation and I've heard a lot of women say that they have a lot of trouble finding a doctor that will sterilize them.  
I figured that I would maybe be able to skip a ton of trouble and headache by seeing if anybody knows of doctors in either Brandon or Winnipeg that would perform a tubal ligation on a child-free woman under 25.  
 
I am aware of the permanency of this, I no longer want to be on hormones, and I very much never want children. Your help will be very much appreciated!

I don’t have one for a doctor, however I have known several people who have gotten ligation over the years, I would therefore suggest a different technique as it is not always 100% effective and can cause long term trouble. Either way I do hope that a doctor will take you seriously and respect your wishes.

Have you explained these wishes to you family doctor? They might be able to refer you to an OB/GYN that would do this for you. Regardless, you will need a referral as GP's don't do tubals.  
This would be an ethical issue I think for many surgeons so I wish you the best.

Regardless if your request is for health related problems or elective you will need a referral. My family Doctor was able to have my diagnostic tests done out of Province (as there was a wait list in MB). These tests and my referral to the Gynaecologist were completed relatively quick (6months). I’ve been waiting 7years to have my surgery (for health related problems). Good Luck!

I always question why with so much advancement in medical procedures there has not been an effective way to allow women more control over their choices of having children or not. In a vasectomy the sperm is stopped from leaving the mans body and is broken down and reabsorbed into the body. The same happens with the cutting or trying of a woman's tubes.  
Why is it with so much that we can do in the field of medicine, we don't have a simple small valve, for both sexes, that can be open or closed, and take all of this moral judgement out of the situation.  
I could rant on about the fight for choices or procedures, but come on folks, we live in a pretty advanced world and all these hoops that people have to jump through drive me nuts.  
 
Sorry if my opinions offend anyone, but that's how I feel.

I’m interested in following this thread.  
 
I feel the same as you OP. I would like to get off the hormones from birth control but the last time I mentioned this to my doctor, she said we were too young. It’s very frustrating to be told that you what you want is “wrong” or that you are incapable of knowing what you want yet.  
 
I think some people just find it hard to relate to or understand that not every one WANTS to be a parent...

there is a Dr. out there who will take you (as well as any other young women) seriously with this request.  
At 32 and childless I'm yet to find a Dr. that will take this request seriously. After 10+ years of asking I quit asking.

Just wanted to say that it won't change your hormones. You will still get regular periods and everything that comes with them.

Ask you family doctor, they would know if any of the OB's here or in Winnipeg do this. Also, just a suggestion, but if you are not wanting to be on the pill long term because of hormones, there are non hormone birth control methods. There are non hormone IUD's that can be left in for many years. This may be a good option for you until you reach an age where doctors will consider a tubal for you.

if Health Canada would get their heads out of their butts and approve Nexplanon. Canadian women are getting shortchanged when it comes to our birth control options.

I think OP meant hormones as in taking hormonal contraceptives to prevent ovulation/implantation. A successful TL would mean not having to take them anymore..

I'm sorry to hear that so many women are having the same problem. Both with and without children. I realize that tubal ligation is more invasive but it''s frustrating that my partner could probably get a vasectomy right away but I would be denied. Wasn't too long ago that you had to get your husband's permission...  
 
But thanks for everyone's input so far! I think that I may ask my family doctor for a referral and if he won't do it then I may have to look into Winnipeg doctors. Getting referred is mountain #1.  
 
Edited by Xenomorph, 2017-10-24 00:04:42

I have no advice but just want to offer support. You're absolutely right that people don't seem to understand women that don't want children. It really shouldn't be such a big deal. I commend you for wanting to prevent pregnancy you don't want. I have two children and always knew I wanted to have kids. I can't imagine if someone were able to prevent me from having them solely based on their opinion. I don't see this as being any different. That being said, my doctor is hesitant to give me a tubal despite having two children and telling him I don't want any more. He told me that I'm too young and may change my mind and decide I want more. I'll be 30 next year and my husband and I decided this together. I find it infuriating. Good luck to you. I would say "shop around" if your initial avenues don't agree.

I wanted a tubal done when I was 21 and was refused. By then I had 3 babies under the age of 2. We as women are not given complete rights of our bodies.

This was a choice I made for myself nearly a decade ago, as a woman of 24. I have nothing against motherhood, but knew it was not a path I ever wanted to take and didn't want to subject my body to pills, patches and injections for 30+ years to prevent an accident. I spoke to two physicians in Brandon, before being referred to a Dr Naugler at the Health Science Centre in Winnipeg, who performed the surgery. My gp at the time was Dr Kelleher, who is no longer in general practice, unfortunately. She took me seriously enough to refer me to a Dr Saba who arranged the referral to the surgeon. I'm not sure if any of these doctors are still practicing in the area, but I wanted to let you know there ARE doctors who will listen to you and allow you control over your own body. If you are certain of your choice, this decision is yours and yours alone to make. I have never regretted mine. May I add as a final note- ALL three doctors I mentioned are women. Find a female doctor- in my experience they are more likely to support your choice.

I'm in my early 30s, no kids, and have had debilitating period cramps since I was a teen. I had surgery when I was in my late 20s, and I remember when was in the hospital prepping for surgery I was asked if I was there to get my parts removed. Which is a strong no, one day I want kids. The nurse told me women younger than me have hysterectomies due to their terrible period problems. I know a hysterectomy is different than a ligation, either way in the end you can't have kids.  
 
keep trying to find a doctor to help you! I know for myself it took me until I was 28 (started to see doctors for this at 14) to be taken seriously by a doctor. One of the doctors told me it was all in my head and offered to write a script for stronger pain meds... I switched doctors. Best of luck to you!