Sterilization

Sterilization has become the most widely used method of family planning in both the developed and developing world. This article discusses the importance of presterilization counseling and describes the timing of the procedure, methods of anesthesia, and occlusion techniques (eg, tubal ligation and the use of rings and clips) in female sterilization. Other topics covered in sterilization of women are long-term follow-up and complications, reversal of sterilization, impact of national sterilization policies, and nonsurgical sterilization. The article includes a short section on surgical contraception for men.