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Tubal occlusion is a permanent method of contraception that stops the fallopian tubes receiving an egg through an operation. It is only suitable for those who never want children or who don’t want more children.
No hormones
No effect on mood
No protection against STIs
Invisible apart from temporary stitches
Periods will stay the same
Permanent – very difficult to reverse
Skin will stay the same
More than 99% effective
Requires more than one consultation with a healthcare professional before you may be able to have the procedure. You will need to use other contraception until your next period.
ImportantDoctors tend to advise against tubal occlusion if you are under 30.Tubal occlusions are difficult to reverse so you need to be sure you don’t want children or any more children
Tubal occlusion is a permanent form of contraception which involves an operation to cut, seal or block the fallopian tubes which carry an egg from the ovary to the uterus (womb). The body still releases an egg but this will be absorbed naturally.
Pros
Cons
The ovaries, uterus and cervix are left in place and so your hormones are not affected by sterilisation. You will still ovulate and an egg is released but it is absorbed naturally by your body. Your periods will continue to be as regular as they were before. Sometimes some women find their periods become heavier. This is normally because they have stopped using hormonal contraception which may have made their periods lighter.
If this is something you are considering, you may want to find out about types of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) which are very effective methods and are reversible. They are the contraceptive implant, contraceptive injection, intrauterine device (IUD) and the intrauterine system (IUS).
You can get information and advice on sterilisation from your GP surgery or contraception and sexual health clinics.
You may have to receive additional counselling to make sure that you are 100% certain you want to be sterilised.
Depending on your circumstances and age, you may not be able to be sterilised on the NHS. Similarly, in some areas, NHS waiting lists for sterilisation can be quite long. You can pay to have a sterilisation done privately although this is expensive.
Contraception and sexual health services such as Brook are free and confidential, including for people under the age of 16. Health professionals work to strict guidelines and won’t tell anyone else about your visit unless they believe you’re at serious risk of immediate harm. Find out more about Brook’s confidentiality policy.
The surgeon will make a small cut either near your belly button or just above your pubic hairline. They will then insert a small camera and assess how best to block your fallopian tubes. this may be by:
This is a relatively minor operation and many people can return home the same day
If blocking the fallopian tubes (tubal occlusion) has not worked, the tubes may be completely removed.
Tubal occlusion is meant to be permanent.
It cannot easily be reversed and reversal operations are not always successful. Reversals are rarely funded on the NHS and they can be difficult (and expensive) to get privately.
Hysteroscopic sterilisation (also known as Essure) which is a type of female sterilisation, cannot be reversed.
You should use additional contraception until your first period.
You can become pregnant from as little as three weeks after giving birth and from two weeks after an abortion or miscarriageYou may be able to have the procedure straight away after pregnancy, miscarriage and abortion- speak to a medical professional for advice.
Sterilisation does not affect your hormones. You will continue to go through the same menstrual cycle as before. This means you’re sex drive will be the same as before the procedure.
Reversing sterilisation is difficult and is often not free on the NHS so you need to make sure you don’t want children in the future before you get the procedure.
Vasectomies are simpler and safer compared to tubal occlusions. While both are just as effective at preventing pregnancy and are very safe procedures, vasectomies are less intrusive and can be done under local anaesthetic unlike tubal occlusions which require general anaesthetic.
More FAQs about contraception
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