Female sterilization. II. A comparison of methods

An analysis was made of 1757 female sterilization procedures performed over a 5 1/2-year period. The majority of these were accomplished by one of 8 technics: puerperal abdominal tubal ligation (TL), cesarean section plus TL, hysterotomy plus TL, interval abdominal TL, colpotomy TL, laparoscopic TL, vaginal hysterectomy, and abdominal hysterectomy. The various technics have been compared with respect to 55 variables. The procedures having the shortest hospital stay, lowest morbidity, lowest blood loss, and shortest operating time were interval laparoscopic TL, colpotomy TO, and puerperal abdominal TL. The more major procedures were attended by significantly more morbidity and longer hospitalization and should be used only when specific indications justify the increased cost and risk.