For those who decide they do not want children, there are a number of cosmetic surgical procedures for both men and women to undergo permanent sterilization.
Vasectomy
A vasectomy is a surgical procedure intended as a form of permanent birth control for men. The procedure entails removing a section of the vas deferens, hindering the pathway for sperm to be released from the body. It has fast become one of the most popular forms of birth control, and requires only 30 minutes to perform, often with anesthesia.
For those wishing to reverse the procedure, vasectomy reversal, or a vasovasectomy, is available for eligible candidates. However, the surgery is not 100% reversible, often only having a 30% success rate.
Find out more information about side effects and costs of a vasectomy.
Tubal Ligation
Tubal ligation is a popular permanent birth control procedure for women, performed approximately 650,000 times a year. The process involves surgically blocking or closing a woman’s fallopian tubes, by which prevents the pathway for eggs to move between her uterus and ovaries.
Among recent years, several variations of tubal sterilization have been created, such as:
- Laparoscopic Tubal Ligation
- Mini-Laparotomy Tubal Ligation
- Essure procedure
Contrary to popular belief, tubal ligation is actually not 100% permanent; close to 1% of all patients have reported a tubal pregnancy. For those who wish to reverse the procedure, Tubal Ligation reversal is also available to ideal candidates.
For more information or to see if you are eligible, read more about tubal sterilization surgery.
[page updated December 2008]