Safety of Minilaparotomy Provided by Trained Clinical Officers and Assistant Medical Officers: a Non-inferiority Trial

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 18 years and older; * Requested and consented to female sterilization AND additionally freely consents to participate in the study and signs a study informed consent form; * Is sound of mind, in good general health and deemed suitable to undergo female sterilization by ML in accordance with the Tanzania government guidelines; * Able to understand study procedures and requirements of study participation; * Agrees to return to the study site for the full schedule of follow-up visits after her ML procedure; * Agrees to provide the study staff with an address, phone number, close relative, and/or other locator information while participating in the research study. Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy * Between 8 and 42 days postpartum or postabortion * Known allergy or sensitivity to lidocaine or other local anesthesia * Takes a medication that would be a contraindication for elective surgery, such as an anticoagulant or steroid * Previous abdominal or pelvic surgery * Local skin infection near area where incision will be made * Coagulation disorder * Hypertension (properly taken measurements; systolic ≥ 160 or diastolic ≥ 100 mm Hg) * Acute deep venous thrombosis/pulmonary embolism * Current ischemic heart disease * Unexplained vaginal bleeding * Malignant gestational trophoblastic disease * Cervical, endometrial and/or ovarian cancer * Pelvic inflammatory disease (current or within the last three months) * Current purulent cervicitis, chlamydial infection and/or gonorrhea * Current symptomatic gall bladder disease * Active viral hepatitis * Severe anemia (irrespective of type or etiology) * Tuberculosis of pelvic organs * Acute bronchitis or pneumonia * Systematic infection or gastroenteritis * Currently participating in another biomedical research study.