[Voluntary surgical sterilization by laparoscopy in the immediate post partum period. Prospective study in 55 cases].

Fifty five voluntary sterilisations were carried out during the immediate post-partum period via celioscopy and under local anesthesia at the La Rabta maternity and neonatology centre, Tunis, between 1 July 1988 and 31 March 1989. The women had a mean age of 34.6, mean parity of 6 and living children of both sexes. Their socio-economic level was low. They had never used any form of contraception in 50 p. cent of cases and 5 among them had undergone at least one termination of pregnancy. Acceptability of local anesthesia with analgesia was good since 71 p. cent of women remained calm during the procedure and experienced no pain. Among the 16 women who reported pain, this occurred above all when the tubes were grasped (10 cases). There were no notable complications. However, sterilisation was not possible in two cases.