At some point in life you may decide that you would not like to be pregnant again. Some women will choose permanent sterilization to prevent pregnancy for the remainder of their reproductive years.
Your options for sterilization or permanent birth control are tubal ligation (tying your tubes) or Essure. A tubal ligation is performed in an outpatient surgical center and requires 2-5 days off of work for recovery. An Essure procedure is performed in the office under sedation using a camera in the uterus to place plugs in the fallopian tubes. Most women recover from this procedure rapidly and return to work in 2 days.
Before making a decision to permanently remove the possibility of future pregnancy, your physician will want to discuss your decision to choose permanent birth control. Your doctor wants to be certain that you have examined your choice from all angles and considered all other reversible methods of birth control. You should understand that tubal ligation or Essure procedures are non-reversible or permanent.
Modern sterilization procedures for women, although not 100% effective, are generally much more effective that typical birth control pill, Depo-Provera or condom use. IUD’s are as effective as tubal ligation and may be an alternative method for you, offering 5-10 years of birth control without undergoing a surgical procedure.
An alternative to female sterilization is male sterilization, called vasectomy. A vasectomy is performed by a urologist and generally is felt to be safer, with less potential for complication than tubal ligation for women. A vasectomy is more effective than tubal ligation to prevent pregnancy providing the man submits two semen samples that are deemed to be absent of motile sperm. We can help with referral to urology if you need more information about this option.
Find more information about Essure here.
