Description
Objective
To establish current practice of elective sterilisation in the UK.
Design
Postal questionnaire covering methods, numbers and informed consent practices in female sterilisation.
Population
1800 members of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Results
Laparoscopy and Filshie clips are most often used for interval and post-abortum sterilisation, but mini-laparotomy and the Pomeroy technique post-partum. Most respondents inform women about method, permanence, failure risk, irreversibility and potential complications. Failure rates quoted varied, but were broadly consistent with published rates. A third reported some women declining sterilization for reasons, such as difficulty of reversal. The main form of training was supervised sterilisation.
Conclusions
There is considerable variation in methods of female sterilisation and consent practices.
