Female sterilisation

What is female sterilisation?

This operation provides permanent contraception. It is done via keyhole surgery, where a clip is placed on to fallopian tube on each side.

What happens?

The procedure is done under general anaesthesia and it lasts about 45 minutes. After you are anesthetised, your bladder is drained, and two or more incisions are made on your belly, gas is pumped in, telescope inserted and an instrument to apply clips is placed through the other incision. Both tubes are then identified and clips are placed. After the procedure, gas is removed from your belly, and skin incisions are stitched up.

What is the recovery process?

You will be observed for pain, nausea or bleeding after surgery, and will be able to go home when well enough. You will be prescribed simple analgesia over the next few days. A follow up appointment will be organised for you.

What are the risks?

These are known complications to the surgery:

• Infection
• Bleeding, very rarely requiring blood transfusion
• Injury to bladder or bowel, and sometimes additional surgery is needed to correct complication
• Failure of method (unwanted pregnancy)
• Regret (if you changed your mind and would like to fall pregnant again, you would need to go for IVF)
• General risk to surgery (rare) are lung collapse or infection requiring antibiotics, blood clots in legs (DVT) or lung (PE), strain on the heart leading to heart attack or stroke