Overview of Essure procedure

Essure is a permanent birth control procedure that works with your body to create a natural barrier against pregnancy. 
This gentle procedure can be performed in a doctor's office in less than an hour.

Trusted by women and doctors for over five years, Essure is covered by most insurance providers.  If the Essure procedure is performed in a doctor's office, depending on your specific insurance plan, payment may be as low as a simple co-pay.

Essure offers women what no birth control ever has:

• No cutting

• No going under general anesthesia

• No slowing down to recover

• No hormones

• No guessing - your doctor can confirm when you can rely on Essure for birth control

• Short procedure time - Essure only takes about 13 minutes to perform*

• Trusted by women and doctors for over five years

*Average hysteroscope time

And you'll never have to worry about unplanned pregnancy again.
The Essure procedure is permanent and is NOT reversible.  Therefore, you should be sure you do not want children in the future.

About the Procedure

The Essure procedure does not require any cutting into the body. Instead, an Essure trained doctor inserts small flexible micro-inserts™ through the body’s natural pathways (vagina, cervix, and uterus) and into your fallopian tubes.

The procedure can be performed in the comfort of a doctor’s office without general anesthesia, and most women resume their normal activities within one day.

During the 3 months following the procedure, your body and the micro-inserts work together to form a natural barrier that prevents sperm from reaching the egg. During this period, you must continue using another form of birth control (other than an IUD or IUS).

Three months after the Essure procedure, a doctor will perform an Essure Confirmation Test, to confirm that the tubes are fully blocked and that the women can rely on Essure for permanent birth control.

Unlike birth control pills, patches, rings, and some forms of IUDs, Essure does not contain hormones to interfere with your natural menstrual cycle. Your periods should more or less continue in their natural state.

Benefits of the Essure procedure

• Can be performed in a doctor's office

  Because there is no cutting or general anesthesia required, the Essure procedure can be performed safely and comfortably in a doctor's office.

• No cutting or burning

  The Essure micro-inserts are passed through the body's natural pathways and inserted into the fallopian tubes.  Unlike tubal ligation, there is no cutting into the body, burning, or destruction of the fallopian tubes.

• No going under general anesthesia

  The Essure procedure can be performed in your doctor's office without the need for general anesthesia.  Although some physicians may offer general anesthesia, this is not a requirement of the procedure.  You should discuss your options with your Essure physician.

• No hormones

  Unlike many temporary methods of birth control such as birth control pills, the patch, the ring and some IUDs, the Essure micro-inserts do not contain hormones so they will not interfere with your monthly cycle.

• No guessing

  Your doctor can confirm when you can rely on Essure for birth control.

• No slowing down to recover

  Most women return to their normal activities within one day.

• Short procedure time

  The Essure procedure only takes about 13 minutes* for an Essure trained physician to perform. Most women are on their way in an average of 45 minutes.

• Covered by insurance

  The Essure procedure is covered by most insurance providers.  If the procedure is performed in a doctor's office, depending on the insurance plan, your payment may be as low as a simple co-pay.

• Effective

  FDA-approved and in use for over five years, the Essure procedure is 99.80% effective based on 4 years of follow-up, and is the only birth control method with zero pregnancies in clinical trials.

Risks of the Essure procedure

• Perforation, expulsion, or other unsatisfactory location of the micro-insert

• Pregnancy & theoretical increased risk of ectopic pregnancy

• Risks associated with anesthesia

• Pain, cramping, vaginal bleeding, menstrual pattern changes

• Nausea/vomiting, or fainting

• As with all procedures, there are risks associated with the Essure procedure – talk to one of our physicians if Essure is right for you.  

Essure Pamphlet:

This pamphlet will provides you with a quick overview of the Essure procedure. Download >>

Patient Information Booklet:

The Patient Information Booklet is a very detailed overview of the Essure procedure. Your physician should review this information with you thoroughly before you make an appointment to have the Essure procedure. Download >>

Essure Confirmation Test Brochure:

This brochure provides you with information on the Essure Confirmation Test. Download >> 

Essure Procedure Video: 

This animated video provides an overview of how the Essure procedure is performed and how it works with your body to prevent pregnancy. Play Essure Procedure Video.

Additional information about the Essure procedure is available at www.essure.com or by calling the Essure Information line at 1-877-ESSURE1.