Sterilisation - all opinions welcome!

[chellebelle]

So, I tried posting this in the family planning section but only got one response, am hoping I'll get a litte more here:

OK, so we have 4 kids and the thought of any more panics the living daylights out of me. When we found out about DC4 I was mortified, I didn't think I would cope, 3 was already hard work and it felt like the end of the world. When we had made the final decision to go through with the pregnancy (not that I would have had the balls excuse the pun to go through with a termination anyway) DH agreed to have the snip. However, now DC4 is a year old and he has pretty much backed out of it I am considering getting it done myself. I realise that it is more invasive for women and less effective but I just feel like I don't want to continue being stabbed every 3 months (as is happening at the moment), I don't like the idea of the plastic thing under my skin for 3 years and I'm not over the moon about being on some form of contraceptive for the rest of my life.

So my question is: have you had it done, if so how was the op? what was your reason for doing it? has it been effective? and would you recommend it?

all ideas and opinions welcome!

I asked for my tunes to be clipped at the same time I had DD by elective casarian. The doctor declined but told me to go back ith DH 6 months later. Six months to the day sees me, DD and DH in her clinic. We made a date for the surgery, I got ready and then we had a phone call to say she was going away to work for 9 months so would have to cancel the surgery. Tragically we've never been able to afford it again and as it isn't considered essential the health insurances we've had won't cover it. Condoms all the way I'm afraid for us.

Can you afford to do it privately? If so you might want to look into Essure which is a much more minor procedure than conventional sterilisation. I don't know anyone in the UK who's had it done, though (in fact posted a thread asking about it just the other day) and have only read experiences from American boards.

In some areas you can be sterilised on the NHS, so it might be worth having a chat with your GP to see if you can get a referral.

I was sterilised in April but I hadn't initially decided to be. I was lucky enough to have BUPA and got referred to a gynae for Endometrial Ablation. Whilst I was chatting about this, the gynae said would I like to have my tubes clipped as having Endo Ablation it would be dangerous to become pregnant in the future.

BUPA don't pay for the sterilisation but my gynae said that all he would need to put on my form would be details of a laproscopy,(this was to find out the cause of my tummy pains) and it would be a keyhole procedure. He said 'while he was there', he could clip my tubes. All I actually paid for were the clips (about £80).

I had everything done under GA and was pain free after about 10 days. All I have are two tiny incisions, one by my navel and one by my bikini line. I would definitely recommend it.

However I would see if you can have it done on the NHS first. I couldn't as they don't do it on the NHS in my area. Good luck x

I got it done on the NHS but that was over 20 years ago, and it was done about 10 weeks after my 4th child was born. Had no real problems after, was in overnight, and just a tiny wee scar at my tummy button and low down on the bikini line - can't even see them now.

As far as I know, in Scotland (where I live) it's available on the NHS if there's good reason for it, and having 4 kids was a good enough reason for me. I thought it was pretty much the same throughout the country.

StormyWeather I was really surprised sterilisation wasn't available on the NHS in West Sussex (where I live) but you can have it done on the NHS in East Sussex.

I live in Northern Ireland and had been sterilised on the NHS just under 2yrs ago. It was the best thing I ever did after having my 2 LO's.

Being 30, the Dr thought I was too young to have it done, but I was absolutely adamant that I didn't want anymore kids.
I was in the Day Procedure Unit at 8am and out by 2.30pm, back home and doing housework.

If you get sterilised, you have a 1 in 200/250 chance of it failing and getting pregnant again (that's what I was told) and you'll probably be told to put your feet up and rest for a few hours after surgery at least. Apart from that, just keep your wound clean and check for signs of infection (grenny-yellowy sticky pus).

Thanks all!

Randomly, (with a slight bit of coaxing/nagging/ explaining the postitives and negatives of me getting it done), DH has suddenly decided that he will actually go through with it! Apparently the thought of me getting it done and being laid up whilst recovering is a worse thought than him having the op (he genuinely does nothing around the house or to sort daily life stuff with the kids). So hopefully I won't have to anyway, although part of me does wonder whether it's worth us both getting done to be sure!

thanks again x