Sterilization. Determining a good candidate.

After 4 years, 10% of the 1800 low-income women in a 5-year study felt some regrets after the procedure. Although each individual is different, if a woman has 1 or more of the following characteristics, she may not be a good candidate for sterilization: under age 30; has few or no children; not involved in a stable relationship; made the decision to be sterilized alone and with minimal reflection; recently experienced a personal life crisis; feels sterilization will solve a sexual problem; expectations about sterilization are unrealistic; pressured by others to be sterilized. Although women who have had the procedure sometimes experience regret, other women regret not having been sterilized. Approximately 40% of the women who decided for sterilization but had their intentions blocked expressed regret at the short-term follow-up, and one-third reported regret at the second interview 4 years later. Also, women who chose not to be sterilized and then experienced a subsequent pregnancy were 7 times more likely to express regret than women who went through with the procedure. To counsel a woman who wants no more children but does not want sterilization, ask her how she would feel if she became pregnant again, and try to determine how badly she does not want to be pregnant, says Libby Antarsh, PhD, director of US programs for the Association of Voluntary Surgical Contraception in New York City. Also, make sure she has accurate information about other methods of birth control, she says.