Female sterilization
Why resort to sterilization?
This method is suitable for those who need permanent sterilization, however it requires a thoughtful reflection on this choice, given the irreversibility of the intervention. Before making a final decision, you and your partner need to seriously ask yourself if you are sure you don't want children; if you have even the slightest doubt, sterilization is not the method for you and it is best that you continue to use reversible contraceptives, such as the pill or condom. It must be borne in mind that sterilization does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
In any case, having your tubes closed must be the result of a calculated personal choice. A woman may consider sterilization when she is already of a certain age and no longer wants to have children.
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How to be sure of your choice?
The simplest thing is to get advice from your gynecologist, who will help you reflect taking into account your age, if you already have children, the reasons that lead you to this choice ... The type of woman suitable for this surgery is a woman of a forty years old, with a stable marital situation, who has already had at least one child and who does not want others. The surgery is preceded by some medical visits and pre-operative examinations.
How the operation takes place
When the fateful day arrives, do not panic, the operation is simple and takes a few minutes. The patient must have fasted from the previous day and, before the operation, a urinalysis is carried out. The operation lasts between 15 and 20 minutes and is performed under general anesthesia, in most cases using the technique of laparoscopy. A small incision is made near the navel, through which the laparoscope, a tiny telescope that makes the ovaries, tubes and uterus visible. A second incision is made just above the pubis, through which a very small surgical instrument is introduced which closes the tubes in different ways: cut, ligature, burn or by applying clips. Tubal closure can also be done during an abortion or caesarean section.
The operation does not alter the hormonal cycle, therefore ovarian activity and the menstrual cycle remain unchanged.The effectiveness rate of this contraceptive method is 0.5 pregnancies per 100 women operated on each year, an exceptional reliability index!
The post-operative
After surgery, the duration of convalescence varies according to the patient's pain threshold, the type of anesthesia and the woman's ability to recover. The patient remains under observation for a few hours and can also be discharged the same day. In the 48 hours following the surgery, slight abdominal or muscle pains, nausea, a feeling of tiredness or slight bleeding may occur ... The menstrual cycle may undergo some alteration. If postoperative symptoms do not go away after 48 hours, it is best to see a doctor.
Convalescence never lasts more than 5 days and normal work and social activities can be resumed quickly. Sterilization is effective immediately and sexual activity can be resumed as soon as the woman feels comfortable again.
Is it really irreversible?
Sterilization should be considered a definitive method of contraception therefore, as long as you have the desire to have children, you will have to use another method, reversible. The operation to obtain the reopening of the tubes exists but has uncertain results, which depend on the method of closure, and also increases the risk of ectopic pregnancies.
The legal area
Sterilization is a very widespread technique in the world, but in Italy it is not yet well regulated by law: it is punishable, as it is in contradiction with the current criminal legislation that punishes those who cause irreversible damage to the functionality of an organ, but not normally prosecuted. . Many doctors refuse to practice it.
