Abstract
To help identify those women who might regret undergoing sterilization, the Danish women refertilized from 1978 to 1983 were contacted by mailed questionnaire. Eighty-three percent (120/144) responded. These women were younger at the time of sterilization than Danish women sterilized in the same period (mean age 29 years versus 34 years). Furthermore, they had more children at the time of sterilization and had their first and last child at a younger age than Danish women generally, in the same age group. Their social and educational status was lower than the background population and fewer were in gainful employment. At sterilization, most of the women were in an emotionally stressful situation (e.g., marital disharmony (78% of the married women), single parenthood (28%), unwanted pregnancy (27%)), or had chronic health problems in the family. Alternative contraceptive methods had not been fully explored. Thirty-eight percent complained of late secondary effects attributable to the sterilization, but the main reason for wanting reversal of sterilization was a new partner (75%). The study suggests that the psycho-social situation and contraceptive alternatives should be carefully evaluated in women requesting sterilization, especially in those below the age of 30.
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