Sterilisation

Any man or woman can be sterilised. It is a permanent method of contraception, suitable for people who are sure they never 
want children or do not want more children. Remember there are other forms of long-acting contraception, which are as effective, but can be reversed.

Advantages of sterilisation

• Sterilisation does not interrupt sex.
• After sterilisation there is no need to do anything about contraception ever again.

Disadvantages of sterilisation

• Sterilisation cannot be easily reversed, except by using complex and potentially dangerous surgery which is not successful in all cases.
• Sterilisation involves an operation.
• Sterilisation does not protect against STIs.
• There is a small chance, although this is very rare in female sterilisation, that the
 tubes may rejoin and you will be fertile again. The overall failure rate in women is about one in 200 and one in 2,000 for men.
• It takes at least 2 months for a (male sterilisation) vasectomy to be effective, and women should continue with other forms of contraception until then.