Video Transcript
Which of the following statements
about using sterilization as a form of contraception is correct? (A) Sterilization procedures
provide a nonhormonal option for a short-term contraceptive. (B) Sterilizations can only happen
once a person has had multiple pregnancies. (C) Only males can be
sterilized. Or (D) sterilization procedures can
prevent pregnancies permanently.
The following question asked us
about sterilization procedures. In order to answer the question
correctly, let’s review what these procedures entail. Sterilization is a medical
procedure which prevents pregnancies permanently. There are different procedures
specific for men and women.
In men, the sterilization process
is called a vasectomy, and this vasectomy involves the sealing of the vas
deferens. You may recall that the epididymis
is the structure in which the sperm is stored and that the vas deferens is the tube
that carries the sperm away from the epididymis during ejaculation. So by sealing the vas deferens, no
sperm is delivered into the vaginal canal during sexual intercourse. Without a sperm cell, no
fertilization can occur as fertilization requires the joining of a sperm and an egg
cell to form a zygote. This method therefore prevents
pregnancies from occurring permanently. Note that vasectomies are still
reversible in some cases.
For females desiring sterilization,
a procedure to tie or seal their fallopian tubes can be performed. You might remember that the
fallopian tubes carry the egg cell released from the ovary to the uterus. If these tubes are sealed, an egg
will never reach the uterus, where implantation occurs. In addition, the egg should never
come into contact with a sperm cell to initiate fertilization because this usually
occurs in the fallopian tube itself. Since sterilization procedures
prevent the joining of sperm and egg cells and subsequent fertilization, they reduce
the chance of pregnancy to almost none. This is a permanent effect that can
only be reversed by complex surgical procedures.
So, the correct answer to our
question “Which of the following statements about using sterilization as a form of
contraception is correct?” is given by answer choice (D). Sterilization procedures can
prevent pregnancies permanently.
