The decision to use permanent birth control to create permanent infertility is only for women who are certain they no longer want to have children. Permanent contraception can be performed either surgically or non-surgically.
Surgical
The surgical procedure for women is known as tubal sterilization (also referred to as tubal ligation), a procedure that sterilizes a woman by preventing an egg from traveling to the uterus and blocking sperm from entering the fallopian tube. Additionally, your partner can undergo a vasectomy. A vasectomy involves a small incision to your partner’s scrotum and tying the vas deferens tubes with permanent sutures. This procedure prevents sperm from entering your partner’s semen.
Non-surgical
The alternative to a surgical procedure is hysteroscopic sterilization. Soft inserts are placed inside the fallopian tubes and scar tissue grows into the insert. This prevents conception by creating a barrier that blocks sperm from reaching the egg. The method also is known by the brand name Essure, which can be performed in a physician’s office without anesthesia and as an outpatient surgery. Recovery time for Essure is 1-2 days at most. You can return to your normal, daily activities following the procedure.
When to consider
Women who choose to use permanent contraception are typically older and have already had children, but have not yet gone through menopause. Permanent contraception is 99 percent effective, however it cannot always be reversed. It is important to understand the variety of contraception options and talk with your partner and physician before making this permanent decision.
At Longstreet Clinic OB/GYN, we understand that caring for a woman’s health requires more than just good “medical” care. Call 770-297-2200 or contact us to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced physicians to help you with your health needs.
