Permanent

Tubal Ligation is intended to be a permanent method of birth control. It closes off the fallopian tubes, where an egg is fertilized by a sperm.

Reasons to consider a tubal ligation:

• you want to enjoy sex without causing pregnancy
• you don’t want anymore children
• other methods are unacceptable
• your health would be threatened by a future pregnancy
• you don’t want to pass on a illness or disability

Reasons to not have a tubal ligation:

• you may want to have a child in the future
• you are being pressured by your partner, friends, or family
• you have not discussed having a tubal with your partner
• you have not considered possible changes in your life such as divorce, remarriage, or death of children

Sterilization is more than 99% effective in the first year. Up to one out of 100 women become pregnant each year after sterilization. Of these 1 out of 3 pregnancies are ectopic (develop in a fallopian tube) and may require emergency surgery.

Vasectomy is a permanent birth control for men. It makes men sterile by keeping sperm out of semen.

Reasons to consider a vasectomy

• you want to enjoy sex without causing pregnancy
• you don’t want anymore children
• other methods are unacceptable
• your partner’s health would be threatened by a future pregnancy
• you don’t want to pass on a illness or disability

Reasons to not have a vasectomy

• you want to have a child in the future
• you are being pressured by your partner, friends or family
• you have not considered possible changes in your life such as divorce, remarriage, or death of children
• you have not discussed having a vasectomy with your partner

A Vasectomy is not immediately effective. Sperm remains in the system beyond the blocked tubes. You must use other birth control until the sperm is used up. It usually takes about three months, a semen analysis will show if there is sperm in the seminal fluid.

Downloadable fact sheets

Click here for Tubal Sterilization - English

Click here for Tubal Sterilization - Spanish

Click here for Vasectomy Cost Information - English

Click here for Vasectomy Cost Information - Spanish

Click here for Vasectomy Information - English

Click here for Vasectomy Information - Spanish