The risk of cancer is reduced if the fallopian tubes are removed during sterilization.

Surgically removing the fallopian tubes in female sterilization rather than simply cutting them off is safe. A new medical study shows that it may also reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.

About 700 women develop ovarian cancer each year, making it a relatively rare cancer.

However, the type of cancer causes widespread symptoms, which often leads to it being detected late. This in turn means that the prognosis is poor when the disease is diagnosed.

In just over half of the approximately 700 women diagnosed each year, the cancer appears to originate in the fallopian tube and then spread to the ovaries and other organs. So the good news is that removing the fallopian tubes during sterilization does not appear to contribute to further complications:

– Removing the fallopian tubes during sterilization could provide the opportunity to prevent many new cases of cancer, says Annika Strandell, associate professor at Sahlgrenska University Hospital and lead author of the study, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe.

She adds:

– Every case of ovarian cancer we can prevent is a huge win for society and for women who would otherwise be affected.

By removing the fallopian tubes during sterilization, the risk of ovarian cancer can be reduced.

Few women have previously agreed to have their fallopian tubes removed for sterilization when asked to do so. This is because there was a lack of knowledge about whether removing the fallopian tubes led to more complications after the procedure than when the fallopian tubes were simply cut.

The results of the new study may change that.