Although most people probably think of "the pill" as the main pregnancy prevention method, female sterilization is another one of our nation’s top contraceptives.

For women who want to “get their tubes tied,” there’s a relatively new alternative requiring no incisions. The procedure, called Essure, has been approved for use in the U.S. since 2002, but many people are still unaware of it.

Here’s how it works: spring-like micro-inserts are placed into each fallopian tube. These inserts prompt the body to grow tissue over them, so that after 12 weeks, most women’s tubes will be completely blocked, preventing sperm from reaching and fertilizing an egg.

Since it doesn’t involve cutting, the recovery time from Essure is quicker and less painful when compared to tubal ligations. Instead of the four to six days recovery needed for tubal ligations and the two to three days recovery for vasectomies, most women are back to normal within 24 hours.

Because the Essure procedure requires no general anesthesia or cutting, it can be performed in the doctor’s office, which tends to make patients more at ease.

Another benefit to the Essure procedure is that most health insurance plans cover it, so many women will only have to pay an office fee.

Extremely important for women who are interested in the procedure is the fact that it’s not reversible, making it even more permanent than tubal ligations, which about 50 percent of the time can be effectively reversed. Women who are considering Essure must be positive they don’t want any more children.

To schedule a consultation, call Generations ObGyn at (865) 769-4444 or click on the link below for more information. Generations ObGyn has offices in the Tower at Parkwest Medical Center and Fort Loudoun Medical Center in Lenior City.