Sterilization
"Women regretting their sterilization," H.M. Vemer, P. Colla, D. Schoot, W. Willemsen, P.B. Bierkens and R. Rolland, Fertility and Sterility 46(4): 724 (1986).
- In a Dutch study, 118 sterilized women who came to the hospital between 1978-84 for a reversal were compared to a set of matched control women, each of whom was sterilized on or about the same date and at the same hospital as the woman requesting reversal. A change in marital status was more frequent in patients requesting reversal compared with controls. Some 20% of the sterilization in the regretting group took place at the time of an obstetrical procedure (mostly induced abortion) compared with only 2% of the controls.
"A comparison of definable traits in women requesting reversal of sterilization and women satisfied with sterilization," A. Leader, N. Galan, R. George, PJ. Taylor, Am. J. Obstetrics and Gynecology 145:198 (1983)
- In a study at the University of Calgary, a group of 159 women who requested reversal of sterilization was compared to 160 women who were satisfied with their sterilization. Dissatisfied women were more likely to have had an abortion and were more likely to have had their sterilization at the time of the abortion (10.1 vs. 3.2%) compared to the satisfied women.
"Therapeutic Abortion. Fertility Plans and Psychological Sequelae," E. Greenglass, American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 47(1): 119, January 1977.
- One hundred eighty-eight Canadian women were interviewed about 36 weeks following their abortion in 1972-73. At the time of the abortion, 27 women were sterilized (14.4%).)
"Safety of Post-Abortion Sterilization Compared with Interval Sterilization," M. Cheng, J. Cheong, S. Chew, H. Choo, M. Belsey and K. Edstrom, The Lancet, September 29,1979, p. 682
- In a study by the World Health Organization of women who initially desired sterilization after abortion, 33% changed their minds or were unable to keep their appointments for sterilization six weeks after the abortion.
"Psychological profile of dysphoric women post-abortion," K. Franco, M. Tamburrino, N. Campbell, J. Pentz and S. Jurs, J. of the American Medical Women's Assoc. 44 (4): 113-115, July/August 1989.
- Some 21% of the women in a post-abortion support had been medically sterilized after their abortion. Physicians should be aware that a small number of women may request hysterectomies and tubal ligations as self-punishment post abortion.
"Taking Liberties with Women: Abortion. Sterilization and Contraception," W. Savage, International Journal of Health Services 12(2): 293-307 (1982).
- Reproductive freedom is being denied to women when sterilization is used without adequate counseling on the risks or reversibility or when it is made a precondition for performing an abortion. The article cites several studies on women who regretted their sterilization following abortion.