Male or female sterilisation

[MTBMummy]

I'm quite far long in my pregnancy with DC2 and neither DP not myself want any more, so we've been discussing the options of sterilisation.

Are there any reasons to go with one over the other?

I've seen a few disaster stories for both sides, but I have fallen pg (although miscarried later) while on the Pill and the Injection and the implant turned me into a miserable ogre for the 2 years I was on it.

Has anyone got experiences they'd like to share? How does sex work post either? I've heard both result in a huge decline in sex drive, and while we're not at it like rabbits we do enjoy the limited sex life having a young family allows

[EdithWeston]

According to FPA, the failure rate for female is 1:200, but for male 1:2000.

Both procedures are serious surgery, even though only one is inside a major body cavity - I think the complication rate for male is higher (10% persistent pain; search MN for posts from men who have PVPS to see this is a serious matter).

[peggyundercrackers]

we know quite a few men who have had lots of issues/pain after surgery. my OH has said he wouldnt go through it purely because of the high risk of pain/complication afterwards - cant blame him really.

[scaevola]

90% of men are absolutely fine and any post operative pain can be cotrolled by OTC medication (plus frozen peas if swollen); essentially back to normal in under a fortnight.

And there is no reason at all why an uncomplicated vasectomy would have any negative effect on sex life (many report improvement, once risk of PG is removed). I'd always thought it th same for female sterilisation.

Another key difference between the procedures is length of time to sterility. With female, it's pretty immediate. With male, you have to wait until semen has been tested and shown consistently clear (as sperm storage ampulla are downstream of vas). Most get clearance to abandon other contraception at about the 16 week point. DH is however at the 11 month point and still not fully clear.

[TheFuzz]

I am not so sure I would recommend either surgeries.

[MTBMummy]

Thanks all

TheFuzz I saw your posts on a few threads and I couldn't risk DP going through that. 1 in 10 is exceptionally high odds of you having some long term complications.

I'm highly likely to have a CS with this pregnancy due to complications, so I'm very tempted to suggest that while they're in there they just carry out the sterilisation, but does anyone know if this increases the healing time? With my previous CS I was up and about within hours and fully active within days on little more than paracetamol. I'd much rather just deal with that than risk DP having to deal with PVPS

[MTBMummy]

TheFuzz may I ask why you wouldn't recommend either?

[TheFuzz]

Basically it's surgery where surgery isn't necessary. There are a fair few complications from Vasectomy which are quite nasty despite it being a simple procedure, and female operations are major surgery and they don't go without complications either.

Just bear in mind the risks - fully research it before making a decision.

[staverton]

It's such a tricky decision isn't it. The pill/oestrogen based contraception is contraindicated for me (visual migraines, stroke risk increased), I've heard of too many people becoming pregnant with the coil, progesterone only contraception lots of side effects....

[brettgirl2]

I had essure sterilisation which seems to be side-effect free for me personally. OP the other thing is copper coil, it didn't agree with me but it works for lots of people.