Female Sterilization

Consultation with your surgeon about female sterilization:

• Share your health information with your surgeon, remember to mention all allergies, any current illness, pre-existent health conditions, health risk factors, previous surgeries, use of medications, vitamins or supplements and any other relevant medical information
• Your surgeon will ask you questions about your past sex life.
• You will be physically examined.
• Pre-surgery blood tests will be ordered
• A pregnancy test must be performed in order to ensure you are not pregnant to avoid an ectopic pregnancy.
• You’ll need to quit smoking completely
• Make sure to follow the pre-op recommendations your surgeon gives you
• Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, garlic and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding.

For patients over 40 years of age or with any added cardiac, respiratory, renal pathology, etc. The following will be requested:

• Chest X-ray
• Cardiological assessment
• Electrocardiogram

You will need to keep using birth control up until 3 months after the operation.

This procedure can be done at any stage of your menstrual cycle. But its very important to make sure you are NOT PREGNAT during the sterilization, because it can cause an ectopic pregnancy.

The sterilization method done by our surgeons consists in tubal occlusion that is done either by:

• applying clamps on the fallopian tubes 
• forming a loop and applying a ring that will clamp the fallopian tube
• cutting out a small piece of the fallopian tube.

This is a fairly minor operation and many women return home the same day.

Anesthesia

General anesthesia will be recommended in order to provide a safe surgery, give the patient the maximum comfort and allow the surgeon to work without any incidents.

Incisions & Procedures

Tubal ligation can involve either closing, cutting or removing pieces of the fallopian tubes (called salpingectomy).

The incisions for the procedure are minimal. Depending on each patients case, the surgeon will advise to either have the laparoscopic or mini-laparotomy procedure.

Right After Surgery

You will be taken into the recovery room to monitor your vital signs and make sure the anesthesia effects have worn out.

Before You Leave The Hospital

Once you are fully awoken, and stable, will be give you instructions on how to take care of your surgery along with a prescription for medication.

After the procedure, the plastic surgeon will prescribe painkillers, antibiotics, and the following care:

• You must take your medications as indicated on your post-operative care sheet that you will receive before you leave for discharge.
• First follow-up post-surgical day 7^th for stitch removal
• Relative rest 7 to 10 days
• No sexual activity for 4 weeks
• You should not exercise or exert yourself in the next 4 weeks
• No lifting anything over 2 kgs
• You should not sunbathe for the next 4 weeks
• You shouldn’t be touching your wounds
• You should not smoke

It is important that you follow your surgeon’s recommendations to avoid any complications.

You can expect to feel a bit uncomfortable, with a little bit of pain and tired after surgery. This will be controlled with medication that will be prescribed. You might have some vaginal bleeding, its recommended to use a pad only.

ADVANTAGES OF STERILIZATION

• You won’t have to worry about getting pregnant as this procedure is 99% effective
• Sex drive is not affected by the surgery
• Hormone levels will not be affected

It is important that you understand that after the surgery you will experience swelling and fluid retention, this will subside with time.

It is suggested to sleep on your back to avoid direct pressure of the surgical wounds for the next 7 days.

The results are immediate, it will be recommended to use birth control for the next 3 months after the surgery.

Although risks and complications rarely, they can include:

• Anesthesia complications
• Internal bleeding
• Infection
• Damage to other internal structures
• Failure of surgery, where blocked tubes can join back after the procedure
• Risk of ectopic pregnancy

In order to decrease the risks your surgeon will ask for a series of blood tests to ensure you are in good health for your procedure.

Following your surgeon’s recommendations will favor a good outcome.

 DISADVANTAGES OF STERILIZATION:

• This surgery DOES NOT protect against STIs
• Its non-reversible
• In very rare occasions it can fail, and the tubes can join back, making you fertile again
• If you get pregnant, there is a high risk of ectopic pregnancy