Prospective study of the efficacy and safety of occlusive sterilization with phenol-mucilage]

A prospective study on the safety and effectiveness of female sterilization using chemical occlusion of Fallopian tubes was conducted in 2 Chinese rural townships. 471 women aged 20-35 who had 2 or more children were recruited for the study. These women were randomly assigned to 2 groups each using a different chemical solution for the sterilization. Group A used Guangdong solution and Group B used Shanghai solution. After the injection of the solution into the Fallopian tubes, X-ray examination was conducted to determined the length of blockage obtained with the solution. Those with a blockage length of 1.5 cm received another injection in 3 months. Follow-up examinations were conducted at 7-14 days and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. The results were processed with computer and chi-square and t tests were conducted. In 231 cases that received chemical occlusion with Guangdong solution, 18 become pregnant within 2 years, with a success rate of 92.2%. Among 231 women who received Shanghai solution, 4 become pregnant in 2 years, with a success rate of 98.3%. The difference was statistically significant. No serious side effects or complications were observed after the procedure. The study result has shown that chemical occlusion of Fallopian tubes was a safe and effective method of female sterilization. The key to the success of the procedure was the skill of the service provider. The length of blockage of tubes is a very important factor affecting effectiveness. Therefore, the massive application of such a method will require the standardization of operation skills.