Hysteroscopic sterilization (HS) is the most important, and perhaps most revolutionary, advancement in female sterilization over the past 100 years. Soon after receiving FDA approval in 2002, the Essure (R) system became the preferred, non-incisional alternative to standard tubal ligation. Even as this innovative birth control technique continues to be offered to hundreds of thousands of women worldwide, the method is not without controversy. At present, no single work of reference summarizes the full HS picture, from its clinical trials to approval, its entry into the global medical market, and its post-marketing activity. This book fills an immediate niche as an essential reference for anyone interested in HS and its place in modern contraceptive practices. It is particularly well-suited for primary care physicians, reproductive surgeons, GPs, family nurse practitioners, gynecologists, womens healthcare providers, counselors, attorneys, reproductive ethicists, public health policy advocates, as well as patients and their partners.