Sterilization
Essure® (Women 21 & Older)
When a woman’s family is complete, Essure provides permanent birth control. Our physician places tiny coils inside a woman’s fallopian tubes to block sperm.
Vasectomies
Vasectomy is a permanent birth control method for men. A doctor closes or blocks the male’s tubes that carry sperm. We currently give referrals for vasectomies, and hope to offer them through one of our low-cost funding programs in the near future.
What is Sterilization?
Sterilization is a procedure that closes or blocks your fallopian tubes so you can’t get pregnant. (Your tubes are where eggs and sperm meet. If they can’t meet, they can’t hook up.) Guys also have a sterilization option—a vasectomy blocks the tubes that carry a man’s sperm. It’s even safer and more effective than female sterilization. Talk to a health care provider to learn more and be sure to ask about state and federal requirements, like age restrictions and waiting periods.
Incision
For women, Laparoscopy, Mini-laparotomy, and Laparotomy are sterilization procedures that require an incision. Because these methods are surgical, they involve anesthesia. Recovery times vary from 1-2 days to a few weeks.
For men, an incision-based vasectomy takes about 20 minutes. It requires a shot of local anesthetic, then a doctor makes one or two incisions to the scrotum and blocks the tubes so sperm are kept out of his seminal fluid. No sperm, no pregnancy.
Non-Incision
Essure is a procedure for women that does not involve surgery or anesthesia. The fallopian tubes are reached through the vagina, where micro-inserts are placed. These inserts cause scar tissue to grow that blocks the tubes. Recovery is “same-day” and shouldn’t impact normal activities, but it takes several months for the scar tissue to form and make this method effective. Essure will no longer be sold after the end of 2018.
The no-scalpel vasectomy method for men involves a tiny puncture that reaches his tubes, where they are then tied off, cauterized, or blocked. There’s no scarring, no stitches, and this procedure is known for healing quite fast without complications.