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Minimally Invasive Female Sterilization Procedure


Female SterilizationSterilization can be done at any time in your life. If you have not been using a form of birth control, you may want to wait until during or just after your menstrual period to have this procedure. This can be performed Laparoscopically as an outpatient procedure. This means you usually can go home the same day.

On the day of your surgery, an IV (intravenous) line will be started. You will be given pain relief (anesthesia). After the pain relief is given, the surgery will then take place in the following steps:

  • A small incision (cut), about 1/2 inch long, is made in or near the navel.
  • A gas (in most cases carbon dioxide) may be passed into the abdomen to inflate it slightly. The laparoscope is inserted into the abdomen through the incision.
  • A device may be placed on the cervix to help move the uterus.
  • A smaller device is inserted to move and hold the tubes. The device may be inserted either through the laparoscope or through a second tiny incision made just above the pubic hairline.
  • The fallopian tubes are closed by tying, banding, clipping, or cutting them, or by sealing them with electric current.
  • The laparoscope is then withdrawn. The incisions are closed, usually with one or two stitches, and covered with a small bandage.

Benefits and Risks

Sterilization by laparoscopy offers a number of benefits. After sterilization, a woman no longer needs to use other methods of birth control.

Laparoscopic sterilization is a very effective method of birth control. Fewer than one in 100 women who have a sterilization procedure will become pregnant. If you get pregnant after sterilization, it is more likely to be an ectopic pregnancy. See your doctor if you miss a menstrual period after the procedure.

This excerpt from ACOG’s Patient Education Pamphlet is provided for your information.

This information is provided for your information. It is not medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for visiting your doctor. If you need medical care, or have any questions, please contact your obstetrician-gynecologist.