Around one in ten females of a reproductive age in the United Kingdom have had the procedure. Sterilization requires a slightly more complicated surgical procedure than the one used in male vasectomy. During this operation the fallopian tubes within the patient are blocked or cut through by the surgeon. This procedure prevents an egg from reaching the womb of the female, therefore preventing any unplanned pregnancy.
How do I use Sterilisation?
The surgery usually requires a general anaesthetic as the surgeon begins by making a cut along the lower part of the stomach region or alternative across the top of the vagina, in order to the reach the fallopian tubes. However, nowadays patients will undergo a laparoscopic operation whereby a small incision is made below the navel. A thin metal telescope, known as a laparoscope, in inserted into the body. This helps the surgeon to identify the fallopian tubes which are then sealed using electrical coagulation or in some instances a clip. Because of the relatively minor incisions made during laparoscopic surgery, the procedure can often be carried out using local instead of general anaesthetic. Once completed, patients should be able to go home that day, though they should not be allowed to operate a car. The surgery should provide them with immediate protection against pregnancy; however some women will continue to use alternative contraception for the days following the operation.
Can I use Sterilisation?
In many cases, suitability for the sterilization method of contraception can boil down to the assessment of your doctor. There is a reluctance to provide the surgery to any women under the age of thirty, especially those without children, as it is felt they may regret such an irreversible choice later in life. However, a number of specific medical conditions can rule women out of sterilization. Any history of cysts on the ovaries can rule a patient out of the procedure. Furthermore, swab testing is required prior to surgery to check for any evidence of a pelvic inflammatory disease such as Chlamydia or salpingitis. Any patient suffering from fibroids, a condition where tissue growths can develop from the muscular wall of the uterus or cervix will be advised against the surgery. In the cases of some older patients, prolapse, a disorder which causes the muscles and ligaments of the pelvis which make up the pelvic floor to weaken, makes them ineligible for sterilization. On a more simplistic note, overweight women can often prove difficult, as the levels of fat on the body make access to the fallopian tubes difficult. General health concerns can also put a doctor off undertaking the procedure while it’s also important to make sure that the patient is not already pregnant prior to the surgery.
The Positives of Sterilisation
The procedure is over 99% effective and offers the most reliable method of contraception available. The surgery is relatively quick and pain free. There is also none of the increased health risks found in other hormone based contraceptive systems. Because the method is permanent, there is no schedule of pills or check up to adhere to, which all help to encourage the spontaneity of the sexual experience. Furthermore, hormone production and the female sex drive are in no way disrupted by the procedure.
The Negatives of Sterilisation
There remains a small risk throughout the surgery, if using general anaesthetic. The procedure can also go wrong with some instances of damage to the womb, bowel and urinary organs during the surgery. Despite the permanent nature of the process, there remains a small 0.5% risk of the surgery proving unsuccessful. Periods have been noted as heavier after the operation, but this is rare. Nowadays, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get the surgery done on the NHS with private clinics offering the procedure for around one thousand five hundred pounds which prices many out of it. It is also important to realize that the procedure is permanent and offers little way back for any women that may change their opinions on child birth. The only real hope is IVF treatment which while readily available can prove costly and offers no guarantee of success.