This week we’re focusing on female sterilisation which is a permanent form of contraception involving the blocking or sealing of fallopian tubes.
Sex on Female First
There are a number of ways that permanent contraception can be carried out. The first way is Tubal occlusion.
Tubal occlusion involves a surgeon having to examine your fallopian tubes before blocking them. The surgeon will do this by giving you either a Laparoscopy or a Mini-Laparoscopy.
Both of these procedures involve you having a general anaesthetic and the surgeon making a small cut into either your abdominal wall or above your pubic hairline.
With the Laparoscopy you will have a small camera inserted into you so that the surgeon can examine your tubes sufficiently.
With the Mini-Laparoscopy, the surgeon will make the cut then reach inside your pelvis and access your tubes through the incision.
Once the surgeon has examine you, your tubes will then be blocked. This will be done by either:
• Applying clips: plastic or titanium clamps are closed over the fallopian tubes.
• Applying rings: a small loop of the fallopian tube is pulled through a silicone ring, then clamped shut.
• Tying and cutting the tube: this destroys 3-4cm (1.2-1.6 inches) of the tube.
The other method is fallopian implants, a service that Essure (www.essure.co.uk) offer. This procedure doesn’t involve any cutting so leaves you free of scares.
Soft, flexible tubes will be through your vagina, cervix and uterus into your tubes, the coils are placed at the entrance to the fallopian tubes and are left there.
The body will then natural make scar tissue which will block the entrance to your fallopian tubes, mean permanent contraception.
You will have to use protection for three months until an image testing can prove your tubes are blocked. This can be done a number of ways:
• An X-ray – when radiation is used to examine the inside of your body.
• An ultrasound scan – when high-frequency sound waves are used to create an image of part of the inside of your body.
• A hysterosalpingogram (HSG) – a type of X-ray that is taken after a special dye has been injected to show up any blockages in your fallopian tubes.
This contraception is over 99 per cent effective and means that you won’t have to think about contraception again for the rest of your life.
There are some small risks and risks of complications as with any surgery. There is a small risk of internal bleeding, infection and damage to other organs.
There is also a small risk that the operation won’t work as blocked tubes can rejoin immediately or year later.
If the operation does if, there is a slight increase in the risk of ectopic pregnancy, this is where a fertilised egg implants itself in the fallopian tube.
It’s important to remember that these procedures won’t protect you against STIs so it’s important to use a condom to protect yourself and your partner.
For more information about sterilisation or any other forms of contraception, visit your GP, local health clinic or nhs.uk.
Cara Mason
tagged in Sexual Health Sexual Health Education