During the Procedure

• Before a woman arrives for her Essure procedure, she must take some medication that decreases cramping and makes the procedure easier, but she needn't have general anesthesia. After one to two hours, she will then go to the doctor's office where the doctor will place "micro-inserts," or a series of connected coils, into the body. The doctor inserts these coils through the vagina with a catheter that allows him or her to see inside the he woman's body. Once the doctor enters the uterus, she can see the fallopian tubes. Once they are visible to the doctor, she will then place one micro-insert into each fallopian tube. The entire procedure generally takes about 45 minutes, and most women can return to their normal activities after one to two days.
  
  

After the Procedure

• During the next three months, scar tissue will grow around the micro-inserts and it will eventually form a barrier which keeps sperm from fertilizing any of the woman's eggs. As such, it keeps a woman from getting pregnant, irreversibly. During these three months, the woman needs to use a backup method of birth control. After three months, the woman must have an x-ray test which painlessly inserts dye into the uterus. This allows a doctor to see whether the fallopian tubes are properly blocked and also whether the micro-inserts are placed correctly. Following a successful test, the woman is now sterilized.
  
  

Considerations

• Essure is a sterilization method which was approved by the FDA in 2002. As a form of permanent birth control, it is newer than tubal ligation. Additionally, this procedure is not reversible. Like all methods of birth control, Essure is not 100% effective, even though it is very close (99.8%). Patients who are considering the Essure procedure should speak with their doctor first.
  
  

Side Effects/Complications

• In rare cases, a micro-insert cannot be placed properly and the woman will require additional appointments or treatment. For about one in seven women, the implantation of both micro-inserts was not successful. Some of these women returned to the doctor at a later date and successfully completed the procedure at that time. A small percentage of women must wait more than three months for their fallopian tubes to be completely blocked. In only 2.9% of cases, the micro-insert was expelled by the body.
  
  

Clinical Trials

• The FDA has reported findings on two Essure trials that were conducted on women from the USA, Australia and Europe. The trials show that general anesthesia was used rarely and not necessary for the Essure procedure. Within a week after having the procedure, the women in the trial stated that their comfort level was either "good" or "excellent."