Sterilisation
Sterilisation is a permanent method of contraception.
Sterilisation is an operation that makes fertilisation impossible. The sperm cells can no longer reach the egg cellEgg cellFemale sex cell. A woman is born with many egg cells in her…Read more.
Sterilisation does not affect your healthHealthFeeling physically, mentally and socially well in your environment. Health is more than…Read more or sexualitySexualityA central aspect of being human. It is a normal and positive way…Read more.
Both men and women can be sterilised.
Doctor performing sterilisation on a man
Sterilisation for men
After sterilisation the man still has ejaculations. He produces semen without sperm cells. He can have sexual intercourse as usual.
The doctorDoctorSomeone who is trained to cure sick people. Doctors can prescribe medicines. A…Read more blocks the sperm ducts.
Sperm cells can no longer travel along the sperm ducts to the prostateProstateOrgan that surrounds a man's urethra. When a man has an orgasm, the…Read more and seminal vesicles, where the semenSemenThick white fluid that comes out of a man's penis when he ejaculates.…Read more is produced.
Have your semen tested after 3 months. If your semen does not contain any sperm cells, you can stop using other methods of contraception.
Man standing. The focus is on the internal sexual organs.
Sterilisation for men: the sperm ducts are blocked.
Sterilisation for women
Sterilisation has no effect on the cycleCycleNumber of days between the first day of a woman's menstruation and the first…Read more, ovulationOvulationMoment at which a ripe egg cell is released from 1 of the…Read more or menstrual period.
The doctor blocks the fallopian tubes.
Sperm cells can no longer reach the egg cell.
Woman standing. The focus is on the internal sexual organs.
Sterilisation for women: the fallopian tubes are blocked.
Sterilisation: the operation
For men, the operation is performed under local anaestheticAnaestheticA medicine which stops you feeling pain. The doctor gives you a local or…Read more. For women, the operation is usually performed using surgery, under anaesthetic.
Sterilisation does not usually affect your sexual desireSexual desireThe feeling that you would like to have sex. Someone can feel sexual…Read more or sexSexAll acts that can sexually arouse you. Sex is more than sexual intercourse.…Read more life. Men and women can still have orgasms.
Sterilisation is a permanent method of contraceptionContraceptionMeans and methods of preventing pregnancy. Condoms and the contraceptive pill are examples…Read more. Reversal of sterilisation is difficult and not always successful.
Extremely reliable
Sterilisation is very reliable. The riskRiskPossibility that something unpleasant may happen, for example a disease.Read more of pregnancyPregnancyThe time when a woman is expecting a baby. The pregnancy begins when…Read more is slightly greater when a woman is sterilised than when a man is sterilised.
Extremely reliable
No protection against STIs and HIVHIVA virus (human immunodeficiency virus) that affects the natural immune system. When someone…Read more
Sterilisation does not protect against STIs or HIV. Only a condom can protect you.
Condom
Price of sterilisation
Sterilisation for a man costs between € 300 and € 700.
Sterilisation for a woman costs more. It costs around € 1600.
Prices depend on:
- whether you have local or general anaesthetic;
- the materials used by the doctor;
- whether or not you stay in a single room in the hospital.
What does it cost?
Sterilisation is not covered by the standard package of health insurance (basisverzekering); it is sometimes reimbursed if you have taken out additional health insurance. Check with your health insurance provider to find out how much is reimbursed.