Cape Town - Women no longer have to go under the knife to be sterilised, thanks to a relatively new procedure at Tygerberg Hospital called hysteroscopic sterilisation.
The procedure includes inserting implants into the fallopian tubes via the vaginal canal, rather than using key-hole or open surgery.
Dr Judy Kluge, a gynaecologist and head of Family Planning at Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, said the procedure was widely used in First World countries.
However, it had only been introduced in the country two years ago. Kluge said the new technique made female sterilisation possible even for the most “at risk” people who faced difficulties having surgery or using anaesthetic due to medical reasons.
She said women who had been denied sterilisation due to the risks were perfect candidates for hysteroscopic sterilisation.
The procedure uses implants in the form of metal coils.
The body would naturally produce tissue around the coil, which eventually blocks the fallopian tube.
Not only was it beneficial through its non-invasive nature, but it was also cost effective – saving hospitals theatre costs and hospitalisation.
“After sterilisation a woman’s womb and ovaries function as they normally would have, making it a good option for women who can’t use hormones,” she said.
February is National Reproductive Health Month.
Cape Argus