Talk to Your Clients about Essure

Do you have clients who are interested in sterilization? If so, let them know about Essure, a new, non-surgical sterilization procedure.

Essure was approved for use in the US in 2002 and has grown increasingly popular ever since. In fact, there have been an estimated 220,000 Essure procedures performed to date.

The Essure procedure involves using a special tool to insert small coils through the vagina and up into the fallopian tubes. The coils cause tissue to grow and block the fallopian tubes, so sperm can’t get through.

Essure can be performed in a provider’s office without general anesthesia. The procedure itself only takes about 15 minutes, and the entire visit is usually completed within an hour. Since there’s no surgery involved, women recover very quickly and are usually back to their normal activities within a day or so.

If you are interested in making Essure part of your practice, follow these simple steps:

Get trained in the Essure procedure or develop a referral list of trained providers.

Only hysteroscopists who have completed the Essure training with a certified specialist can administer Essure. If you are unable to provide Essure in your office, make sure you have an up-to-date referral list so clients know where they can get this service.

Visit the Essure website to request a training.

Find out if your clients are interested in sterilization.

Ask clients what their family planning goals are. How long would they like to avoid pregnancy? Do they want to have children in the future? See if they are interested in sterilization.

Let them know about the various sterilization options available to them.

Options include tubal ligation and vasectomy, as well as the Essure procedure. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of each type of sterilization. See which procedure best fits their needs.

Make sure clients know these key points about Essure:

• Essure does not involve any surgery. You won’t be cut when the provider puts it in.
• Essure is a very effective method. Less than 1 out of 100 women who use it in a year may get pregnant.
• Most women don’t have any side effects. Some women may feel pain or discomfort while Essure is put in.
• After Essure is put in, it takes at least 3 months for the tubes to be blocked. You must use another form of birth control for the first 3 months.
• You’ll need to come back in 3 months for an X-ray of your tubes to make sure you can’t get pregnant.

Screen interested clients for contraindications.

Essure may not be right for some women. Ask your clients about:

• Current or recent pelvic infections.
• Sensitivity or allergy to nickel.
• Past tubal ligations.

If your clients have any of these, you may need to talk to them about other forms of sterilization.

Provide sterilization counseling and get informed consent.

Clients interested in sterilization must receive sterilization counseling from a Certified Sterilization Counselor. If you are interested in becoming a Certified Sterilization Counselor, you can read more about CFHC’s Sterilization Counseling course.

If the sterilization procedure is funded through Medicaid, clients may also need to fill out a special sterilization consent form. Californian providers can learn more about completing the sterilization consent form in the Family PACT PM330 Tutorial.

For more information about Essure, visit the Essure website.