title: Fourteen years' experience in voluntary female sterilization through minilaparotomy in Jos, Nigeria.
abstract: Between January 1985 and December 1998, 2913 female sterilizations through minilaparotomy were performed. The mean (+/- SD) age was 36.4 +/- 4.2 years and 68% of the women were between the ages of 30 and 39 years. The mean (+/- SD) parity distribution was 8.0 +/- 2.0; 59.5% of the patients were para > or = 8, and the mean (+/- SD) number of living children was 6.8 +/- 1.6. Only 32.9% had the equivalent > or = 8 number of living children at the time of the procedure. Completed desired family size was the indication for the tubal occlusion in 95% of the patients. The predominant surgical technique was Pomeroy's method in 97%. Tubal ligation as an interval procedure was performed in 93.6% and local anesthesia was used in 83.7%. The study showed a yearly increase in the growth of voluntary surgical contraception at the institution, made possible by trained personnel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Aisien
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Ujah
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Mutihir
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guful
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D009549:Nigeria; D013246:Sterilization, Tubal / Q000379:methods*