[Hysteroscopic sterilization among women older than forty years: what motivated the women?].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to check the motivations of the patients over 40 years old who want to be sterilized by the Essure system (hysteroscopic sterilization). The simplicity of the technique raises the question of the choice between contraception and sterilization among women over 40.


METHODS
It is a prospective study concerning 168 women. We report their past history and their motivations. We have checked also the satisfaction and tolerance of the procedure.


RESULTS
The medium number of children by woman was 2.6. The middle age of the last child was 11.5. Twenty-eight percent of the patients underwent at least one abortion. They tried 2.3 methods of contraception before accept sterilization. The reasons of their choice were, for 45.9% of them the side effects of the contraceptions; in 22% of cases, they were fed up of their contraception; in 12% of cases, it was a contraindication to the contraceptions, in 10% of cases, a failure of the contraception and in 2% of cases, they had have a contraindication to the pregnancy. Ninety-three percent of them were satisfied. It is a fast procedure with bearable pain.


CONCLUSIONS
Essure system is a good alternative to the contraception in patients who present, from 40 years old, some increased risks. It is an easy technique with high satisfaction rate.
Ploteau
S
S
Service de gynécologie, obstétrique et médecine de la reproduction, hôpital Mère-Enfant, CHU de Nantes, 38, boulevard Jean-Monnet, 44093 Nantes cedex, France. stephane.ploteau@chu-nantes.fr
Haudebourg
M
M
Philippe
H-J
HJ
Lopes
P
P
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy; D009042:Motivation; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013246:Sterilization, Tubal / Q000295:instrumentation*