Laparoscopic sterilization in the immediate puerperium.

The safety and effectiveness of laparoscopic sterilization with electrocoagulation and separation of the tubes when performed within five days of a normal delivery is evaluated. The majority of patients (53.5%) were sterilized within 36 hours of delivery and were discharged on either the same day or the first post-sterilization day (91.0%). While some form of complications were reported for 9.5 percent of the patients, potentially serious complications occurred for only 2 patients (1.%). Most of the complications were probably unrelated to the laparoscopic procedure. At six months after sterilisation, complications were reported by 2.9 percent of the patients who returned for a follow-up visit. One patient became pregnant 3.5 months after sterilization. The results of this study suggest that performing laparoscopic sterilization in the immediate puerperium does not significantly increase the complication or failure rates of the procedure.