Sterilization at Planned Parenthood?

Hi, all! New here!

I've been looking into Essure, and it seems like the best way to go for me - much cheaper and easier than 20-something years of the pill or 3-4 IUDs until I hit menopause. Planned Parenthood's website says they'll perform the procedure, but I'm wondering if they would refuse me because I'm 22 with no children. I've e-mailed several doctors who did. Anyone have any experience with PP and sterilization?

Thanks!

Hi sexycatlady. Congrats on taking control of your body and fertility.

I do have experience in working with PP for birth control and sterilization, though I'll point out up front that your mileage may vary, as it was my husband who volunteered for snippage, and he did so while a bit older than you currently are. Doctors tend to give less crap to older patients, and to male patients, and such.

That said, the folks we worked with were superb. They were very respectful of our intelligence and didn't ask any questions beyond, "You realize that this is a permanent procedure, right?", to which my spouse responded "Well yes, that's the point!" The doctor laughed, asked a couple more questions, and scheduled an appointment for the procedure the following Friday. From my spouse's recounting of the actual surgery, it sounds like the staff were cheerful and competent. They made sure we went out the door with very clear post-op instructions and even a bag o' condoms (which I actually handed back, because I was on the pill at the time).

Whenever I've dealt with Planned Parenthood for birth control, they've been pretty respectful, explained things well, and generally put me through less BS than a regular doctor.

I'd say it's worth giving PP a shot. They do take various types of insurance, but will work with you on rates if you're uninsured. Hopefully they will not give you the runaround due to your age...but you may get more questioning and conversation about it anyway. However...they're probably more straighforward than a regular ob/gyn because there's simply no conflict of interest. They're in the business of keeping people from getting pregnant/causing pregnancies. A regular doctor is also in the biz of delivering babies & is thus on the fence about sterilization.

Good luck! Keep us posted!

I've gotten birth control from there as well. I live in Mississippi (hopefully not for more than another year, fingers crossed!), so I really didn't have any other options but to drive 2 hours to the nearest Planned Parenthood. I was 19 when I started taking the pill; the doctors at the local womens' health clinic (which was more like one of those bullshit "crisis pregnancy centers") thought I was too young for it and tried to make me go through a 2-hour counseling session just to take birth control! I quit that in a hurry and got the pill at PP with no hoops to jump through. That's why I'm more hopeful about asking them about Essure than a regular doctor.

"They're in the business of keeping people from getting pregnant/causing pregnancies. A regular doctor is also in the biz of delivering babies & is thus on the fence about sterilization."
-I did not think about that, you're totally right!

If I can't get sterilized, my lovely (CF!) boyfriend is willing to get a vasectomy. I'd rather get Essure just to take charge of my own body and basically say "Fuck you!" to the dumb bingos I get, but either way, this should turn out OK.

Thanks for the helpful response!

Quote
sexycatlady

If I can't get sterilized, my lovely (CF!) boyfriend is willing to get a vasectomy. I'd rather get Essure just to take charge of my own body and basically say "Fuck you!" to the dumb bingos I get, but either way, this should turn out OK.

Nice that your guy is willing to go for the snip. Food for thought: vasectomy is a simpler, less-invasive procedure with a shorter recovery time. It also costs less. All those reasons factored into why my spouse went in for the snip instead of me. If he'd said no, I'd have been totally willing to get myself sterilized.

The doctor at that local women's health clinic who made you go through counseling(!!) to get the pill....yeah, he/she needs to go sit on a tack. Thinking you were "too young" to take care of your sexual health? Ugh. Makes my head go all splodey.

And I didn't mean to come down on ALL ob/gyns as waffle-y wimps who won't sterilize women. I've had a very respectful doc who asked me only once about kids, and it was purely a standard question he asked all patients.He gave me zero flak and was perfectly happy to prescribe me birth control 'til the end of time.

That doc was this really fundie Baptist woman, which really explains the whole thing. Lots of "Choose Life!" propaganda crap in her office. She also tried her damndest to give me a few STD tests, even after I explained to her that my boyfriend (of three years now) and I had both gotten tested right after we started dating. I finally managed to bitch enough for her to shut up about it.

The ob/gyn I saw at Planned Parenthood after that ordeal was awesome, though. Petty much the exact opposite of Fundie Lady.

Honestly, I'd like it if we could both get sterilized, when we have the money - possibly as a wedding present. Just really double up on it, make sure no accidents happen so I can get rid of my emergency abortion fund. I have some issues, and even though I take my pills religiously, I get paranoid.