On my list of the world’s best inventions, I’ve often placed birth control right up there. It has allowed many women (and men) to control their reproductive systems and to choose how many, if any, children they have.
This is a right all women should have.
When people think of voluntary sterilization, they often think of a tubal ligation. Fortunately, we also have the option of having our partner take action in terms of permanent male birth control, namely a vasectomy.
Both are excellent choices but both have some risks to note. Let’s take a look.
Tubal Ligation
A tubal ligation is performed by tying and/or burning the fallopian tubes with an electric current.
In order for pregnancy to occur, sperm must travel to these tubes to fuse with an egg that has been released by the ovaries during ovulation. When these tubes are burned/tied, there can be no connection between sperm and egg.
The sperm simply evacuates within days and the egg remains unfertilized.
Some women have their tubes tied right after childbirth. Others wait and have it done when they are sure they want no more children.
The surgery itself is quite basic but it’s also invasive. Women will need a few days of rest after it’s done.
Is it reliable? Yes, very. But it's not 100 percent. A hysterectomy or abstinence remain the only two surefire ways for a younger woman to avoid getting pregnant.
Is pregnancy even possible after a tubal ligation? According to EmpowHER’s Stacey Lloyd, the answer is yes.
In her article “What is a Tubal Ligation?” Lloyd notes:
“Pregnancy may occur if the tubes grow back together or a new passage forms that allows an egg to be fertilized by sperm. If this happens, there is an increased risk of having an ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the baby starts to develop outside the womb. Ectopic pregnancies can happen years after the surgery and are most likely three or more years after the procedure.”
The risk actually increases as the years go by. After the first year, about 5 out of every 1,000 women will get pregnant. That changes to about 13 out of every 1,000 women getting pregnant, according to WebMD.
The main reasons for this are that the tubes were able to grow back or that the doctor did not perform the surgery correctly. However, in general, this choice of permanent birth control is extremely reliable.
Vasectomy
Another choice of permanent birth control is up to our men! A vasectomy is a procedure where the tubes that bring sperm from the testicles are blocked off.
The procedure sounds more scary than it is in reality. It only takes 20-30 minutes and the man is ready to go home within an hour, although he may feel a bit sore for a day or two. Ice will help.
Like everything other than abstinence or a hysterectomy, there is some risk of the procedure failing but a vasectomy is very reliable.
About 1 in 2,000 men will get a woman pregnant, however. One reason found for failure is not going back to a doctor within 4-6 weeks to make sure the vasectomy worked.
Men need to ejaculate up to 30 times in this time frame to get rid of all the “working sperm” they have built up and then get their ejaculate tested to make sure there is no activity.
Other risks include infection or hematoma.
Men’s Health notes that there is no change in sex drive or performance after a vasectomy. They spoke to Dr. Tobias Köhler, M.D., a urologist and head of the fertility division at Southern Illinois University. “There is no safer or more reliable form of birth control apart from abstinence,” he said.
The website goes on to say that Köhler believes “some men experience a boost in virility and sexual function because they’re no longer stressed or anxious about possibly impregnating their wife or girlfriend.”
So if a person is sure that they don’t want (more) children, these two options are a good idea and can allow a couple to enjoy sexual freedom without the risk of pregnancy.
Men or women can contact their health care provider to set up an appointment.
Sources:
EmpowHER.com. Reproductive System. “What is a Tubal Ligation?” Web. Retrieved March 10th 1015.
https://www.empowher.com/reproductive-system/content/what-tubal-ligation
Men’s Health. Sex MD. Understanding Vasectomies. “5 Things you Need to Know About Getting a Vasectomy”. Web. Retrieved March 10th 1015.
http://www.menshealth.com/sex-md/facts-about-vasectomies
Tubal Ligation and Tubal Implants. WebMD. Retrieved March 10th 1015.
http://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/tubal-ligation-and-tubal-implants
Reviewed March 16, 2015
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith