Choosing a family planning method
Or a woman can make a
chart with 32 sections —
1 for each day of her cycle. She
can mark off each day on the
chart to remember when she
can become pregnant.
first day of
monthly bleeding
fertile time
sexual intercourse
during the fertile
time can cause
pregnancy
Sterilization
Sterilization is an operation that makes it almost impossible to have a baby. This
method is permanent. It is only good for someone who never wants to have
another baby.
These operations are done at medical centers. The surgery is fast and safe.
Sterilization is almost always completely effective. A doctor can try to undo a
sterilization, but that operation is expensive and often does not work.
Sterilization does not protect men or women against HIV and other STIs.
Sterilization for men (vasectomy)
a small cut
is made
here
A vasectomy is a simple operation. It takes only about
and 10 minutes. A health worker inserts a tool through the skin of
here the testicles to cut the tubes that carry sperm to the penis. The
skin heals quickly and the testicles are not harmed.
The operation does not change a man’s ability to have sex
or feel sexual pleasure. He still ejaculates (comes), but
sperm cannot get from the testicles into the semen. For
about 3 months, there are still sperm in the tubes, so the
couple must use another method of family planning.
Sterilization for women (tubal ligation)
Tubal ligation is a little more complicated than vasectomy, but
it is still very safe. A health worker inserts a tool through the skin
near the belly button to cut or tie the tubes that carry the
woman’s eggs to her womb. The operation takes about
30 minutes.
the tubes are
cut or tied
here.
A new method called Essure does not require surgery. A tiny,
flexible metal and plastic coil is inserted through the vagina and
uterus into each tube. Scar tissue then grows over these inserts
and permanently blocks the tubes.
Tubal ligation does not change a woman’s monthly bleeding or her ability to
have sex and sexual pleasure.
A Book for Midwives (2010)
315