Female Sterilization

Female sterilization is a procedure where the fallopian tubes -- which carry the egg from the ovary to the uterus -- are blocked, thereby preventing the sperm from uniting with and fertilizing an egg. The procedure effectively ends a woman's fertility. 

The most widely used contraceptive worldwide with more than 150 million users, female sterilization is 99.5 percent effective at preventing pregnancy during the first year.     

Female sterilization is safe, free from side effects associated with temporary methods of contraception, does not require routine follow-up care or prescription refills, and offers women substantial protection against ovarian cancer.   Because the method is permanent, it is important that women make a voluntary and informed choice when considering female sterilization.  

Family Health International (FHI) research has explored the long-term impact of female sterilization on women's lives in different settings, assessed the safety and efficacy of various sterilization methods, and investigated new approaches to nonsurgical sterilization.