STERILIZATION is a surgery done when people no longer want to have children. A man or woman can have it done.

• In men, the tubes that carry the man's sperm are cut or blocked. This is called a VASECTOMY.
• In women, the tubes that carry the woman's eggs are cut or blocked. This is called a TUBAL LIGATION.
• Sterilization is considered to be a permanent birth control method.
• There is almost no chance of pregnancy after sterilization, if the doctor's advice is followed.
• Sterilization DOES NOT prevent STIs/STDs and HIV/AIDS.

People who use sterilization like it because:

• No other method of birth control is ever needed.
• The surgery is safe. It does not take long to recover.
• It does not change your feelings or your ability to have sex.

Here are problems you might have:

• There may be a small chance of infection or bleeding after surgery.
• If you change your mind after the procedure is done, it is a very complicated and expensive surgery to reverse. There is no guarantee the reversal will be successful.

How does STERILIZATION compare with the effectiveness of other forms of birth control?

The table below shows how many women out of 100 get pregnant using each method.

Abstinence  No women Depo Provera Shots  1 out of 100 Sterilization  1 out of 100 Contraceptive Patch  1 out of 100 IUD  2 out of 100 Vaginal Ring  2 out of 100  The Pill  3 out of 100 Male Condom  12 out of 100 Spermicide  16-21 out of 100 Diaphragm  18 out of 100 NFP/FAM  20 out of 100 Female Condom  21 out of 100 No Method  85 out of 100

Where is STERILIZATION performed?

• In Riverside County, any of our clinic locations can give you information and a referral for sterilization to Riverside County Regional Medical Center to have the procedure.