Chapter 12

Side Effects, Health Benefits, Health Risks, and Complications

Side Effects

None

Known Health Benefits

Known Health Risks

Help protect against:

  • Risks of pregnancy
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

May help protect against:

  • Ovarian cancer

Reduces:

  • Risk of ectopic pregnancy

Uncommon to extremely rare:

  • Complications of surgery and anesthesia (see below)

Complications of Surgery (see also Managing Any Problems)

Uncommon to extremely rare:

  • Female sterilization is a safe method of contraception. It requires surgery and anesthesia, however. Like other minor surgeries, female sterilization carries some risks, such as infection or abscess of the wound. Serious complications are uncommon. Death, due to the procedure or anesthesia, is extremely rare.
  • The risk of complications with local anesthesia, with or without sedation and analgesia, is signicantly lower than with general anesthesia. Complications can be kept to a minimum if appropriate techniques are used and if the procedure is performed in an appropriate setting by a skilled provider.