Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
A vasectomy is a form of sterilization of a man. A vasectomy ensures that no
sperm will exit from his penis when he ejaculates during sexual intercourse.
A vasectomy is usually performed by either a urologist or a general surgeon.
Under local anesthesia, the vas deferens (tubes that carry sperm from the
testicles into the urethra, also known as spermatic ducts) from each testicle is
severed. The open ends are then closed off. A vasectomy can be performed in the
clinic and involves making two small openings in the scrotum. After a
vasectomy, the man may feel tenderness or bruising around the incision site.
A vasectomy does not interfere with the ability of a man to have an erection
or the quantity of his ejaculation fluid.
After a man has a vasectomy, another second form of birth control should be used until his ejaculate
fluid is found to be free from sperm. This usually takes 10 to 20 ejaculations.
Vasectomy reversals are possible, but they tend to be expensive and are not
guaranteed to be effective. A vasectomy should be considered a permanent form of birth
control.
Tubal ligation is also known as "having one's tubes tied," or having a
"tubal." Tubal ligation is for women, and like a vasectomy, should be considered
a permanent form of birth control.
A tubal ligation is performed under general, regional, or local anesthesia
and can be performed as an outpatient procedure. The surgeon or ob/gyn uses one
of several procedures in order to access a woman's Fallopian tubes (which run
from the top part of her uterus to each ovary). A laparoscopy is a procedure in
which a small incision is made just below the navel. A viewing tube
(scope) can then be inserted through this incision to view and reach the
Fallopian tubes. A minilaparotomy is a small incision in the lower abdomen that is sometimes used
for tubal ligation most commonly in the postpartum period (after childbirth).
Once the physician has access to a woman's Fallopian tubes, they are closed
off by using a clip, cutting and tying, or cauterizing (burning) the tubes. The
procedure takes anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes.
Side effects of a tubal ligation may include infection, bleeding
(hemorrhage), and those associated with being under general anesthesia.
A tubal ligation blocks a woman's Fallopian tubes. As a result of the
procedure, about 1 inch of each tube is blocked off. An egg can no longer travel
down the tube to the uterus, and sperm cannot make contact with the egg. Tubal
ligation should have no effect on a woman's
menstrual cycle or
hormone
production.
A woman's tubal ligation can be surgically reversed, usually with more
success than in men who have had a vasectomy. About 1% to 2% of women in the US
seek a reversal of tubal ligation.
A tubal ligation does not protect a woman or her partner
from sexually transmitted infections (sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs).
It is also not an absolute method of birth control because a small percentage of women
become pregnant
after a tubal ligation. Pregnancy after tubal ligation is uncommon (occurring in
less than 2% of women), and the risk of pregnancy appears to be related to age
(younger women have more post-tubal ligation pregnancies) as well as the type of
procedure used for the sterilization.
Post-tubal ligation syndrome
A condition referred to as "post-tubal ligation syndrome" (or post-tubal
sterilization syndrome) has been the subject of debate in recent years.
Proponents argue that women who have had tubal ligations are prone to menstrual
irregularities and symptoms such as
hot flashes and mood changes
as a result of damage to the blood supply to the ovaries as a result of the
procedure. This syndrome has also been described as consisting of symptoms such
as changes in sexual behavior and emotional health, exacerbation of
premenstrual symptoms, and
menstrual symptoms
necessitating hysterectomy or tubal reanastomosis. A study of over 9500 women
reported in 2000 in the New England Journal of Medicine, failed to confirm any
association between tubal sterilization and menstrual problems, but some
investigators suggest that a minority of women do report menstrual problems or
other symptoms following the procedure.
Low testosterone can affect both men and women. Causes of low testosterone in males include undescended testicles and injury to the scrotum. Low testosterone in females includes ovary conditions. Treatment for low testosterone in men includes testosterone replacement therapy. Currently there is no FDA approved testosterone treatment for women.
Sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs,
are infections that are transmitted during any type of sexual exposure,
including intercourse (vaginal or anal), oral sex, and the sharing of sexual
devices, such as vibrators. Women can contract all of the STDs, but may have no symptoms, or have different symptoms than men do.
Sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, are infections that are transmitted during any
type of sexual exposure, including intercourse (vaginal or anal), oral sex, and
the sharing of sexual devices, such as vibrators. Although treatment exists for many STDs, others currently are
usually incurable, such as those caused by HIV, HPV, hepatitis B and C, and HHV-8.
There are a number of different methods of birth control to include: barrier methods, IUDs, hormonal methods, natural methods, and surgical sterilization. Birth control methods can be reversible or permanent. In simple terms, all methods of birth control are based on either preventing a man's sperm from reaching and entering a woman's egg (fertilization) or preventing the fertilized egg from implanting in the woman's uterus (her womb) and starting to grow.
Sexual health information including birth control, impotence, herpes, sexually transmitted diseases, staying healthy, women's sexual health concerns, and men's sexual health concerns. Learn about the most common sexual conditions affecting men and women.
There are four phases to the sexual response for men and women. Couple do not usually reach each phase at the same time, and they are dependant from individual to individual. The four phases of the sexual response cycle include phase 1, excitement; phase 2, plateau; phase 3 orgasm; and phase 4 resolution.
Reproductive health encompasses the beginning of menstruation for women, choosing the right birth control method for you and your partner, preventing contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and for women, ending with the menopausal transition.
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