A Beginner's Guide to Sterilizationby Andrew McLeod and Heather Guyton Every social and environmental problem, whether it is deforestation or just finding cheap rent, is aggravated by overpopulation. And affluent North Americans are especially hard on the planet, no matter how organic and relatively low-impact an individual's lifestyle may be. So despite being in our mid-twenties and having no children, we have both opted for sterilization. We each had a variety of reasons for taking what many view as a drastic step, but a big part of our motivation was the desire to avoid making our personal contribution to an exploding human population. There are already a great many children on the planet in need of more adults in their lives, and we may decide to be parents to some of them later. We see sterilization as merely opting out of the biological end of having children, and not a rejection of parenthood. Both vasectomies and tubal ligations are minor surgeries with short recovery times. Compared to other methods, such as the Pill or condoms, sterilization is much more reliable -- with a failure rate of less than one percent -- and has fewer side effects. Unlike getting a pet "fixed," which involves the removal of reproductive organs, getting ourselves fixed has left our parts fully operational in every way but one. We happen to think that sterilization is a great solution to population-related problems, but don't take our word for it. Just as we hope that people respect our decisions to get fixed, it is not our intention here to try to convince you that having children is wrong. We just ask that you take into account some of the social and environmental consequences of that decision. And for those ambivalent about having children, we hope to demystify the process of sterilization, and encourage you to consider it for yourself. Because sterility removes the need for artificial barriers, it can provide a deeper sense of connection with one's partner; sex can unfold without the constant consideration of birth control. However, safe sex remains crucial because sterilization only removes sperm or eggs from the picture. As tempted as we may be to throw out our latex collections, it is just as easy to transmit HIV and other infections. Getting sterilized is an intensely personal decision with long-lasting effects, and shouldn't be taken lightly. We each spent several years thinking about our own decision, and feel that it is not something to rush into, particularly for folks who are relatively young and childless. People do sometimes regret getting sterilized, and you should be reasonably certain that you would not change your mind later. While both vasectomies and tubal ligations are reversible, sterilization should be considered permanent. How it is done (for girls) Heather's Experience Tubal ligation, or TL, is slightly more involved than vasectomy, but still not a major surgery. It is as simple as inserting a small clip or cauterizing the fallopian tubes through a pair of small incisions into a woman's abdomen. General anesthesia is usually given, but not always, and it is a day surgery regardless. The whole process took four hours for me. I had four stitches along the lower curve of my navel and one-stitch down to the right. My physician said I should not engage in rigorous physical activity, but within two days I was back to my gardening and desperately tempted to practice my martial arts. I experienced no pain and returned to the hospital three days later to have the stitches removed. Two years later I have no regrets. The relationships I have had have been rewarding and made easier by the lack of spermicide, drugs and worry. A common misconception is that your period stops after TL. I spoke with many women who said cramps increase slightly but I feel far more normal now than I ever did on the Pill. How it is done (for boys) Andrew's Experience The male version of sterilization is the simpler of the two procedures. I was awake (and watching with morbid curiosity), and shuffled out of the doctor's office less than an hour after it all began. But due to the external and vulnerable nature of the parts involved, the recovery period is significantly longer than for most women. While I never experienced anything too awful, I was laid up for a couple of days and sore for a couple of weeks. The vasectomy checklist provided by my clinic warned me to avoid heavy lifting and contact sports in the first week, but I was never even tempted. However, I soon returned to normal, and haven't noticed any differences since my initial recovery. Six months later, the only trace of the procedure is a small scar on the front of my scrotum. The biggest misconception is that getting a vasectomy reduces "performance." This is not the case, and it can actually improve sexual response by nearly eliminating the need to worry about birth control failures that are much more likely with other methods. How To Get Your Own Getting sterilized is a common procedure, with more than a million people opting for sterilization in the U.S. each year. The market rate for a vasectomy is around $500 and a tubal ligation can range up to $2,500. But neither of us paid a cent for our operations, so don't let money be an object: Both procedures are covered by many insurance policies, and there are sliding-scale programs available in most states. Planned Parenthood offers free vasectomies to men meeting certain requirements, and will soon offer the procedure on-site at its Olympia clinic. Subsidized tubal ligations are available through the State Department of Social and Health Services. You may be required to have a counseling session and waiting period, especially if you are getting financial assistance. Some questioning is appropriate, but be prepared to stick up for your rights if someone appears to be trying to block your way. It all boils down to your personal choice, and if someone is stubbornly insisting that you shouldn't (or can't) get what you want, talk to someone else. Plan on getting information from a variety of sources. We found that talking with people who already had the procedure provided the most valuable information, but here are a few other places to look. Resources: Ann Rose's Ultimate Birth Control Links Page: http://www.gynpages.com/ultimate/ Planned Parenthood: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/bc/allabouttubal.htm or http://www.plannedparenthood.org/BIRTH-CONTROL/allaboutvas.htm or 754-5522 Andrew McLeod would be happy to anwer any questions about his vasectomy, and can be reached at amcl@iww.org
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