Essure: A Permanent Solution
Many childfree people desire permanent sterilization. Essure is a relatively new method of permanent birth control that offers an outpatient alternative.
One of the most popular forms of birth control is the Pill. It’s easy to use and one of the most effective forms of birth control available if used properly. However, it requires a doctor’s prescription, and many women do not like the negative effects hormonal birth control can have. At some point, many childfree women tire of such methods and begin considering a permanent solution: hysterectomy or tubal ligation. The first option represents major abdominal surgery, a hospital stay, and at least some recovery time—not to mention general anesthesia. It is often quite difficult to get a doctor to agree to this option without a serious preexisting medical condition. Tubal ligation also requires incisions, recovery time, and the inherent risks of general anesthesia.
Now, however, there is a new, innovative method of permanent sterilization called Essure. Essure is a procedure which was approved in 2002 by the FDA. The doctor performing the Essure procedure introduces a tiny coil into each fallopian tube. The procedure takes approximately thirty-five minutes for the doctor to complete. Patients are often able to leave the facility within forty-five minutes after the procedure is finished. Over the course of the next several months, scar tissue forms around the coil and permanently blocks the tubes.
After three months, most women will be sterile, though the formation of scar tissue will take longer in some women. An alternate form of contraception should be practiced until a doctor confirms sterility. Sterility will be confirmed by a special type of x-ray, called a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), at a check-up several months after the procedure.
Essure has many benefits over tubal ligation or hysterectomy. It is less invasive, no incisions are required, and general anesthesia is not used. The recovery time is much less than with hysterectomy and tubal ligation: in most cases patients are back to work the next day.
The most important question is, is it effective? Four years of clinical data has shown that Essure has a 99.8% effectiveness rate.
Essure, like any procedure, involves some risk. The fallopian tubes may be perforated by the coils, or the coils may not be inserted properly. The effectiveness rate is not 100%, so there is some risk of pregnancy and a theoretical increased risk of an ectopic pregnancy. The local anesthetic used may also have side effects in some women.
The Essure website has an online search tool that can assist in finding a doctor near you who is trained in the procedure. The website offers testimonials and stories from patients who have undergone Essure, as well as a hotline for potential patients to call and receive more information.
A childfree woman may have difficulty finding a doctor willing to sterilize her. But the task will be easier for those armed with the latest and best information. Be knowledgeable, be sure, and be persistent.
Ashley Sowell also contributed to this article.
Copyright . Published 1 December 2006 in Features.
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