Question of the Month
Q:
I had a tubal ligation after my 3rd child was born in 1999. Ever since my
periods have been extremely heavy, and my hair has been falling out. In November
of 2001, I had blood work done which showed "low iron stores". Ever since then,
I started taking ferrous gluconate as per my MD. My question to you two fold: In
your opinion, is there a connection between tubal ligation, very heavy periods,
low iron stores and hair loss? What type of doctor would I contact for help?
A:
I am often asked by women who have had a tubal
ligation whether this could have caused hormone problems such as changes in the
menstrual cycle or even PMS. The answer in this
case is a fairly straightforward "no." The tubes function to carry the
fertilized ovum to the uterus. They have no overall hormonal effect on the body
and do not affect the function of the ovary. So changes in bleeding pattern or
mood or other symptoms should not be assumed to be related to tubal ligation,
nor should hair loss. Rather a workup should be done to determine the cause and
treatment.
Regarding iron deficiency and hair loss, this has been exaggerated. Certainly if
a woman is experiencing hair loss and is anemic or has low iron stores, a course
of iron in therapeutic doses should be given. However, it should not be assumed
that the low iron is the only cause of the hair
loss. Usually hormonal factors are involved as well as discussed in detail
in my web article.
Hope this is helpful.
Sincerely,
Geoffrey Redmond, MD
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