2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Z98.51Tubal ligation status

ICD-10-CM Codes›Z00–Z99›Z77-Z99›Z98

ICD-10-CM Z98.51
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

Z98.51 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for tubal ligation status. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The code is not accepted as a principal diagnosis by the Medicare Code Editor and exempt from POA reporting. Coders also document this condition as H/O: tubal ligation. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Contraceptive and procreative management.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
Z98.51
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Tubal ligation status
Short Description
Tubal ligation status
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Z98.5
Sterilization status

Code Classification

ChapterZ00–Z99Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
SectionZ77-Z99Persons with potential health hazards related to family and personal history and certain conditions influencing health status
CategoryZ98Other postprocedural states
This CodeZ98.51Tubal ligation status

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for Z98.51.

Unacceptable principal diagnosis
There are selected codes that describe a circumstance which influences an individual's health status but not a current illness or injury, or codes that are not specific manifestations but may be due to an underlying cause. These codes are considered unacceptable as a principal diagnosis.

Present on Admission (POA)Billing

Z98.51 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • H/O: tubal ligation
  • History of female sterilization
  • History of sterilization
  • Sterilization procedure done
  • Tubal ligation done

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Status(post)
      • tubal ligation

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR FAC013
Contraceptive and procreative management
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Tubal Ligation

Tubal ligation (getting your "tubes tied") is a type of surgery. It prevents a woman from getting pregnant. It is a permanent form of birth control, and is effective right away.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert Z98.51 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
V26.51 Tubal ligation status
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About Z98.51Overview

Is Z98.51 (Sterilization status) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report tubal ligation status on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Can Z98.51 be a principal diagnosis?

No. The Medicare Code Editor rejects this code as a principal diagnosis because tubal ligation status describes a circumstance that influences health status rather than a current illness. Report it as a secondary diagnosis.

Is Z98.51 exempt from POA reporting?

Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for tubal ligation status on inpatient claims.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of Z98.51?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, tubal ligation status converts to ICD-9-CM V26.51 (tubal ligation status). The mapping is a direct match.