Want to make sure pregnancy is not in your future? Sterilization (sometimes called female sterilization, tubal ligation, or “getting your tubes tied”) is a safe and effective surgical procedure that permanently prevents pregnancy.
How does sterilization work?
There are a few different types of tubal sterilization procedures:
- Tubal ligation is a surgical procedure that permanently closes, cuts, or removes pieces of your fallopian tubes.
- Bilateral salpingectomy is a surgical procedure that removes your fallopian tubes entirely.
- Essure sterilization is a tiny coil that a doctor puts in your fallopian tubes to block them — it used to be a common form of sterilization, but Essure is no longer available in the U.S.