Elective Sterility

There are many options for birth control, but many people are looking for permanent solutions. Sterilizations are permanent options in place of birth control and are available for both men and women (Sterilization for Women and Men, 2022). For women the procedure is termed a tubal ligation and for men a vasectomy.

A tubal ligation is a relatively safe and simple procedure that is essentially a form of permanent birth control (Tubal Ligation, 2022). In this procedure the fallopian tubes are tied off and this prevents fertilization from occurring because the sperm and egg will be unable to meet (Tubal Ligation, 2022). This procedure is only recommended for women who have no desire to get pregnant in the future as a tubal ligation is permanent and difficult to reverse (Jacobson and Zieve, 2022). This procedure will not affect menstruation and patients can continue to have sex normally (Tubal Ligation, 2022). However, tubal ligations do not prevent sexually transmitted diseases and thus safe sex practices must be utilized (Tubal Ligation, 2022). Many women elect to have a postpartum sterilization if they no longer wish to have more children. This procedure can be done 24 hours after delivery in the operating room under anesthesia (UC Davis Health System Obstetrics and Gynecology). Tubal ligation is immediately effective after the procedure (UC Davis Health System Obstetrics and Gynecology). Afterwards, other forms of birth control, barring barrier protection for prevention of STIs is not necessary.

In men, the most common sterilization procedure is a vasectomy. With this method, sterilization is achieved by either cutting, clipping, or tying the vas deferens. This prevents sperm from entering the semen (Sterilization for Women and Men, 2022). While vasectomies are deemed a permanent method, there is an option to get the procedure reversed, which is not an option for tubal ligations. Vasectomies are very effective in preventing pregnancy, but it does take about 2–4 months before the semen is cleared of all sperm, so this may not be for those who are looking for an immediate solution (Sterilization for Women and Men, 2022). Although it takes a while to work, the benefits outweigh the risk. Vasectomies are deemed to be safer than tubal ligation in women, with the main risk being minor bleeding (Sterilization for Women and Men, 2022). Also, similar to tubal ligations, a vasectomy does not affect your sexual drive and also does not protect you against any sexually transmitted diseases (Sterilization for Women and Men, 2022).

If interested in exploring your options regarding permanent sterilization, please consult your doctor.

Citations:

Jacobson, J. D., & Zieve, D. (2022, January 10). Tubal ligation. Mount Sinai Health System. Retrieved January 28, 2023, from https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/surgery/tubal-ligation

Sterilization for women and men. ACOG. (2022, June). Retrieved January 28, 2023, from https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/sterilization-for-women-and-men

Tubal ligation. Tubal Ligation | Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2022, October 12). Retrieved January 28, 2023, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/tubal-ligation

UC Davis Health System Obstetrics and Gynecology. (n.d.). Post-delivery sterilization. Retrieved January 28, 2023, from https://health.ucdavis.edu/obgyn/pdfs/Post-PartumSterilizationDecisionTable2014.pdf