Sterilization without surgery.

For about two decades, investigators around the world have been trying to develop a safe, 95 percent effective method of nonsurgical female sterilization that could be performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis by nonphysicians, preferably after only a brief training period. Such a method has been called vital for meeting the worldwide demand for voluntary sterilization, since it is projected that around 180 million men and women will be seeking sterilizations over the next 10 years. 1 Researchers have experimented with various chemical sterilants-phenol-based compounds, quinacrine and methylcyanoacrylate-and with silicone rubber delivered by a variety of techniques. However, the goal remains elusive, in that either failure rates have exceeded five percent, the method’s safety cannot be assured, Monitoring (FPM) in Tunisia (1973-1979): Findings and Imphcations for the Next Five-Year Pfan (198%1986), ONPFP, Tunis, 1980.