A retrospective survey of female sterilisation for the years 1968 to 1973. Analysis of morbidity and post-sterilisation complications for 5 years.

Between 1968 and 1973, 2122 women were sterilised, 52.2% were by laparotomy, 46.3% by laparoscopy. Sterilisation was performed after abortion in 38.5%, after delivery in 22.5%, and as an interval procedure in 38.5% of cases. Laparoscopy had a lower incidence of side effects than laparotomy, and sterilisation as an interval procedure was safer than after delivery or abortion. A five-year follow-up of patients revealed a low incidence of late side effects; only 34 patients required hysterectomy and in 18 this was not due to the sterilisation. Failure of sterilisation (0.5%) was evenly distributed between the various methods; operative trauma was low 0.6% for laparoscopy and 0.2% for laparotomy. There were 4 maternal deaths, only 2 were related to the procedure.