Permanent contraception includes traditional tubal ligation either achieved at the time of delivery or via laparoscopic procedure in an outpatient surgery center and the new technology Essure®.  Laparoscopic tubal ligation is traditionally performed under general anesthesia in an Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) with small 5 mm incisions in the belly button and the pubic region to ligate the tubes.  Effectiveness is greater than 99%. 

Essure® is the newest and most innovative method of birth control with the highest effectiveness of all birth control methods combined.  Essure® has been FDA approved in the United States since 2002 with over 400,000 procedures performed.  In the Pivotal and phase II studies, there have been no reported pregnancies.   Based on method failures including noncompliance of physicians and patients, the failure rate is 2.5 per 1,000 patients making it the lowest failure rate of all methods including tubal ligation and vasectomy.  What makes Essure® superior is that it can be placed easily in the office with minimal or no anesthetic.  Usually one to two Advil taken prior to the procedure suffices and the patient is awake.  She will be able to drive herself home from the office and return to her normal activities immediately with no recovery time, unlike vasectomy and laparoscopic tubal ligation.  Numerous studies have confirmed that the placement of Essure® has lower levels of discomfort than the average menstrual cramp and lasts for only a few minutes.  Patients will be asked to continue their current contraceptive for three months until confirmation tests of tubal occlusion can be performed.  Like all permanent contraception, patients who are not certain of potential future reproductive needs should not attempt any permanent contraception including vasectomy and tubal ligation unless they are absolutely certain that they have completed their family.

Attributes:

1. 99.84% effective
2. Performed in office while awake No General Anesthesia!
3. Patients rate discomfort 2.5/10 (less than menstrual cramping)
4. 5-10 minute procedure
5. No hormones involved
6. Permanent
7. 98% of patients would recommend to their friends!
8. 90% of patients resume normal activity the same day- no recovery period
9. Made of titanium/nickel alloy similar to stents placed in hearts and artificial joints
10. Has no effect on patients hormones or cycles
11. Covered by most insurance companies
12. 99% successful placement in recent studies