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For women finished having children, there's a new way to do what's commonly know as tying their tubes. Margie Bunch of Loose Creek had Essure, a quick in-office procedure to close off a woman's fallopian tubes, permanently. "Anybody who is looking for permanent birth control to me this is just the way to go," says Bunch.

Essure uses a coil similar to a spring from a ball point pen, but the coil is microscopic. Using a special scope, video camera, and magnifier Dr. Robert Ferris of the Jefferson City Medical Group, can go through a woman's cervix and seal off the tubes with the small wire coils, then let the springs do their work.

The slow chemical reaction causes scarring on the tissue over the next three moths.

Bunch used birth control until a dye test could confirm the fallopian tubes were completely blocked.

"The reaction starts to take place, and it's a slow reaction that causes the complete blockage of the tube," explains Ferris. "It's not just in one spot, it's usually several centimeters of blocking. That's why it's a good 100% effective method."

Bunch says the whole procedure was quick. "No recovery time, that's what I liked, I had no down time," remembers Bunch, who lives a very active lifestyle. "I had a little minor discomfort a couple of times during the procedure and when he was inserting the wires" But she says other than a little cramping after the procedure which she eased with ibuprofen, the procedure was pain-free.

Ferris says Essure is not for women with previous ectopic pregnancies or those with severe pelvic infections.

Dr. Ferris says another plus is the procedure usually only costs his patients their insurance co-pay for an office visit.

The company's web site lists Ferris as the only Jefferson City doctor offering the procedure. There are four in Columbia.

Follow the link below to learn about another procedure offered by Dr. Ferris. NovaSure can eliminate a woman's periods forever.  We also have posted a transcript of our live chat with Dr. Ferris about both procedures.