Permanent Birth Control for Women

I was just checking on this last night. It looks wonderful! They say that it is the only approved form with NO pregnancies in clinical trials. The website said it was 100% permanent. I'm really interested to see if anyone here has had this done. I was just talking to my dh about this today.

J.;

I only know anything about this procedure as I had to do some research for a good friend of mine who is also considering it. It is done in the doctor's office, they place a nickel based implant into each of your tubes. Your tubes then grow closed around it. It takes approximately three months during which you are encouraged to either abstain or find alternate forms of birth control (if you do not you could end up with a painful tubal pregnancy). At the end of this time you go in for an xray to be sure that your tubes have fully closed around the implants. This procedure requires a contrast dye being injected into your uterus and run through your tubes to see if it stops or not. I am not sure what they do from that point if it does not stop, indicating that there is significant risk for a tubal pregnancy at that point. That you would have to discuss with your doctor. Other things to consider would be are you allergic to iodine (this would cause problems for the x-ray to find out if the procedure was successful) and if you have any skin sensitivity or flat out allergy to nickel (as this is what the implants are made of, you could have a mild to severe allergic reaction causing far more complications).

This all that I know on the subject. I hope that it has been useful.

A friend has the procedure done about a year ago, she's never had a child and 40. She said the procedure hurt a bit, aftewards she had some heavy bleeding and cramping. She did go back to work the next day without a problem although she was still a bit crampy for about a week. Looking back she said she'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Good luck!

Hi J. -
I had the essure procedure back in February and had no problems. I went back to work the next day. I would actually recommend it as there is no or little cramping that comes along with it.

I've never heard of an non-invasive permanent birth control. Did the doctor say it was? I'd be interested to learn more about that.

My concern would be that it hasn't been around for long- what are the long term effects? According to the information, very little is known of it's side effects or effectiveness as birth control beyond five years! They are putting something in your body that is permanent (what if it gives you cancer?) and builds up scar tissue (but what if it breaks up or has other issues in the future?) I don't know, I'm not all for going out and getting new procedures. FDA approved means nothing in my book as they approve dangerous drugs and procedures and then revoke it after a bunch of people die. It just hasn't been studied long enough.

As for it being 100% effective, the site says that no form of BC including Essure. Tubal ligation is a 99.5% so there's not much of a difference there and essure hasn't been around long enough to know it's true success rate. It was only tested in 745 women, I imagine 745 women have had 100% success following the use of a tubal ligation too.

"Certain problems with the micro-inserts were reported during
these trials. These were:
• Failure to place both micro-inserts during the first procedure (14%)
• Tubes not becoming blocked at 3 months after placement (patency) (3.5%)
• One or both micro-inserts not staying in the body (expulsion) (2.2%)
• One or both micro-inserts poking through wall of tube or uterus (perforation)
(1.8%)
• One or both micro-inserts outside the tube or not in the correct place
in the tube (0.6%)
These problems kept women from being able to rely on the Essure
micro-inserts for birth control. Some of the women who had the device
come out of their bodies chose to have a second placement."

Which means some of these women did not have it reinserted. Some women also found that it took 6 months, not 3 months, for the tubes to be closed. So this certainly is not a quick procedure. There was also long lasting pelvic pain and other issues reported.

according to their site there is a risk of pregnancy or tubal pregnancy (which would require surgery.) There is also a risk of perforation of the tube or the uterus which is very dangerous. They may have to remove via general anesthesia and surgery the device and they may also have to remove the uterus. During the first 3 months you have to use other forms of birth control and if you get pregnant it could very likely be a ectopic pregnancy. If you did get pregnant afterward (say, through IVF) it is not known if essure will be safe for you or your baby.

there are procedures your Dr may want to do in the future which could dislodge Essure and you could become pregnant, or injured.

IMO,
S., mom to four girls ages 12 months to 5.