|  | Surgeries Operations | Surgeries

Types of Perminent Birth Control

Permanent birth control options for women are tubal ligation ("getting your tubes tied") and a nonsurgical method called Essure, which is irreversible. Men who wish to be sterilized can undergo a vasectomy, which cuts the sperm-carrying tube in the scrotum. While each method is safe and FDA-approved, careful consideration always should be given to recovery time, potential complications, and a possible change of wishes in the future.

  1. Sterilization Options for Men

    • A vasectomy renders a man sterile and permanently unable to father a child (although it can be reversed in some cases). During the surgical procedure, the vas deferens, a tube that allows sperm to travel from the testicles to the urethra, is cut and tied off. As a result, sperm is no longer released during ejaculation. The low-risk procedure is not painful, and risks and complications are uncommon, according to Vasectomy.com.

    Benefits of Female Sterization

    • According to Family Health International (FHI), female sterilization offers a 99.5 percent success rate within the first year. Considered safe, female sterilization is generally free from the side effects associated with temporary methods of contraception.

    What is Tubal Ligation?

    • Tubal ligation is a surgical procedure in which the fallopian tubes are tied off. The patient is placed under anesthesia and two small incisions are made in the abdomen. Because the fallopian tubes carry your egg from the ovary to the uterus, the procedure prevents sperm from entering the fallopian tubes to fertilize your egg. Once the procedure is complete, you are considered sterile and will have a 99.5 percent rate of success, according to Family Health International. Although tubal ligation is considered permanent, it is sometimes reversible.

    Essure

    • Essure is a two-minute, scalpel-free procedure that is performed through the vagina rather than the incisions used in tubal ligations. The doctor places tiny metal coils into the fallopian tubes to induce scar-tissue growth. The scarring continues until the tissue completely blocks the fallopian tubes and you are rendered sterile. If you engage in sexual intercourse before your tubes are completely blocked, which can be determined by your Ob-Gyn, you could become pregnant. Essure cannot be reversed.

    Warning

    • A study in Obstetrics & Gynecology found that age may influence feelings of regret after a permanent birth control method has been done. Of a group of 11,232 women, 20 percent of participants under the age of 30 (at the time of their sterilization) said they regretted making the decision to be sterilized. Only 6 percent of women over the age of 30 said they regretted the procedure.

Surgeries - Related Articles