Pregnancy after laparoscopic sterilization.

The authors compare their experience with pregnancies after laparoscopic sterilization with thos reported in the literature. When misidentification and luteal phase pregnancies are excluded, the true failure rate for laparoscopic sterilization varies between 0.9 and 6 per 1000 sterilizations, depending in part on the technique used. This rate is similar to that of nonlaparoscopic techniques. The mechanical methods have a slightly higher rate than do the electrical methods. Pregnancies that occur after a method failure have a high risk of being ectopic. Reversal of laparoscopic sterilizations has now been reported with most methods. Reimplantation of the tube into the uterus and microsurgical techniques appear to produce similar results in patients sterilized by electrosurgical methods. Patients sterilized by mechanical methods are best managed by microsurgical reanastomosis.