Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsThe Adiana ProcedureWhy It’s No Longer an OptionIf You Already Have AdianaEffectivenessSurgical AlternativesNon-Surgical Alternatives
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
The Adiana Procedure
Why It’s No Longer an Option
If You Already Have Adiana
Effectiveness
Surgical Alternatives
Non-Surgical Alternatives
Adiana was a type of permanent birth control for women. The manufacturing, sale, and distribution of Adiana was discontinued in 2012 for a variety of reasons. If you already have Adiana and are experiencing no unwanted side effects, then there is no cause for concern.
Dawn Stacey

The Adiana procedure was what’s known as a hysteroscopic sterilization procedure. For a time, such procedures were applauded as a novel way to provide women withpermanent sterilizationwithout invasive surgery.
The Adiana procedure (and a very similar procedure called Essure) allowed women to “get their tubes tied” without an abdominal incision. These procedures, which accessed thefallopian tubesthrough the vagina, could be performed in a healthcare provider’s office using local anesthetics. The whole thing could be completed in as little as 15 minutes.
During the procedure, a slim, flexible instrument was passed through the vagina and cervix into the uterus, where it delivered a low level of radiofrequency energy. A small insert (about the size of a rice grain) was left behind in each tube. In the following weeks, scar tissue would build up around the inserts and form a solid blockage. This blockage provided a barrier between eggs and sperm.
The Adiana device was pulled from the market in 2012 because it had a high rate of failure and complications. Additionally, Hologic, the manufacturer of Adiana, was involved in a patent lawsuit with the maker of Essure, which resulted in an order for Hologic to remove Adiana from the market. In the end, the company that manufactured it could not keep up with the legal costs associated with the device.
Essure, a similar device, was also discontinued after a large group of patients reported complications to the FDA.
Complications associated with these procedures include:
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If you had an Adiana procedure in the past, there is no reason to start worrying now. Reversing an Adiana procedure involves complex surgery, which you will want to avoid unless absolutely necessary. However, if you are experiencingchronic pelvic painor other unexplained symptoms, you should talk to your healthcare provider.
According to Hologic, there is no clinical data on the safety or effectiveness of surgical removal.
Based on three years of clinical data, Adiana was slightly over 98% effective in preventing pregnancy, but this was only once a healthcare provider confirmed that the fallopian tubes were completely blocked. This means that of every 100 women who use Adiana, 1.6 would become pregnant in one year.
If you are looking for permanent birth control options, there are two surgical options to consider.
Vasectomy
Avasectomyis a minor surgical procedure for people with male reproductive systems. The procedure is quick and can be done in a healthcare provider’s office or outpatient clinic.
The healthcare provider makes either a small puncture hole or an incision in the scrotum. They then tie or block off the tubes that carry sperm, so that sperm will no longer enter your ejaculate.
Recovery time is minimal and it is nearly 100% effective at preventing pregnancy. It is designed to be permanent, but can sometimes be reversed.
Tubal Ligation
Tubal ligationis a surgical procedure designed to permanently sterilize people with female reproductive systems. Also known as getting your tubes tied, this procedure involves closing, blocking, cutting, or removing the fallopian tubes. This prevents sperm from reaching your eggs.
While you are under sedation or general anesthesia, the surgeon will make small cuts in your belly in order to reach the fallopian tubes. The procedure can be performed at the same time a woman is giving birth if she is having a Cesarean section or within a few hours or days after a vaginal delivery. The procedure can also be performed several weeks or long after a woman has given birth, andin these cases it is usually donelaparoscopically.
Reversing a tubal ligation is a complex and expensive procedure that often doesn’t work.
These days, there is absolutely no reason to rush into permanent sterilization. There are several long-term birth control options to choose from. These options are very effective, can last up to 12 years, and can easily be removed if you decide to get pregnant in the future.
Long-term birth control options include:
When these devices expire, you can have them removed and replaced.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Palmer SN, Greenberg JA.Transcervical sterilization: A comparison of Essure(r) permanent birth control system and Adiana(r) permanent contraception system.Rev Obstet Gynecol. 2009;2(2):84–92.Murthy P, Edwards J, Pathak M.Update on hysteroscopic sterilisation.The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist.2017;19:227–35. doi:10.1111/tog.12390Anderson TL, Vancaillie TG.The Adiana System for permanent contraception: Safety and efficacy at 3 years.J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2011;18(5):612-616. doi:10.1016/j.jmig.2011.06.002Planned Parenthood.Birth control.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Palmer SN, Greenberg JA.Transcervical sterilization: A comparison of Essure(r) permanent birth control system and Adiana(r) permanent contraception system.Rev Obstet Gynecol. 2009;2(2):84–92.Murthy P, Edwards J, Pathak M.Update on hysteroscopic sterilisation.The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist.2017;19:227–35. doi:10.1111/tog.12390Anderson TL, Vancaillie TG.The Adiana System for permanent contraception: Safety and efficacy at 3 years.J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2011;18(5):612-616. doi:10.1016/j.jmig.2011.06.002Planned Parenthood.Birth control.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Palmer SN, Greenberg JA.Transcervical sterilization: A comparison of Essure(r) permanent birth control system and Adiana(r) permanent contraception system.Rev Obstet Gynecol. 2009;2(2):84–92.Murthy P, Edwards J, Pathak M.Update on hysteroscopic sterilisation.The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist.2017;19:227–35. doi:10.1111/tog.12390Anderson TL, Vancaillie TG.The Adiana System for permanent contraception: Safety and efficacy at 3 years.J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2011;18(5):612-616. doi:10.1016/j.jmig.2011.06.002Planned Parenthood.Birth control.
Palmer SN, Greenberg JA.Transcervical sterilization: A comparison of Essure(r) permanent birth control system and Adiana(r) permanent contraception system.Rev Obstet Gynecol. 2009;2(2):84–92.
Murthy P, Edwards J, Pathak M.Update on hysteroscopic sterilisation.The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist.2017;19:227–35. doi:10.1111/tog.12390
Anderson TL, Vancaillie TG.The Adiana System for permanent contraception: Safety and efficacy at 3 years.J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2011;18(5):612-616. doi:10.1016/j.jmig.2011.06.002
Planned Parenthood.Birth control.
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