Health encyclopaedia

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Disadvantages of Sterilisation

For both men and women there is a chance that sterilisation will not work, or that the procedure will reverse itself naturally. 

Both fallopian tubes and vas deferens have the ability to rejoin after separation although this is an extremely rare occurrence.

A female sterilisation should become effective immediately, but it is important that the patient is not pregnant before the operation.  A contraceptive IUD may be left in the uterus until the next period if there is a risk that a fertilised egg is already present.

It may take some time before a vasectomy is considered to be successful.  Tests must be carried out for a few months after the procedure to check if there is any sperm in the semen. 

Alternative methods of contraception must be used to prevent pregnancy until at least two of these tests have been clear (i.e. no sperm is seen).

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