The characteristics, perceptions and personalities of women seeking a reversal of their tubal sterilization.

Abstract

The characteristics, perceptions and personalities of women who had sought a reversal of a tubal sterilization procedure and those who had not were studied. Women were more likely to request reversal of a tubal sterilization if they were less than 30 years old at the time of the operation or if they had changed their marital status since sterilization. Women who had undergone a tubal sterilization and later sought a reversal stated that at the time of the procedure they did not believe that their family was complete; they had not had sufficient time to consider the implications of undergoing a tubal sterilization; they felt that they had been "pressured" by their partner to be sterilized; and they perceived the potential to have a child as important, even if they did not wish for further children. Women who had had a tubal sterilization performed within a few days of childbirth for "health or medical reasons" and sought a reversal no longer believed that the reasons were valid. In spite of the inclusion of women who had changed their minds about tubal sterilization, no differences were detected in psychometric measures of personality and mental health between our groups. The findings of the survey confirm that a woman should make up her own mind whether or not to undergo a tubal sterilization, and the operation should not be available "on demand". Ways of overcoming the problem are suggested.