Surgical sterilization, regret, and race: Contemporary patterns

• Published in: Social science research 2015-03, Vol.50, p.31-45
• Main Authors: Shreffler, Karina M., McQuillan, Julia, Greil, Arthur L., Johnson, David R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Black or African American - psychology; Black or African American - statistics & numerical data; Blacks; Children; Emotions; Ethnicity; Female; Hispanic or Latino - psychology; Hispanic or Latino - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Indians, North American - psychology; Indians, North American - statistics & numerical data; Race; Racial Groups - psychology; Racial Groups - statistics & numerical data; Regret; Reproduction; Social science research; Socioeconomic Factors; Sterilization; Sterilization, Reproductive - psychology; Stratification; Surgery; U.S.A; United States; White People - psychology; White People - statistics & numerical data; Women
• ISSN: 0049-089X; 1096-0317; 1096-0317
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2014.10.010

•We examine sterilization patterns and regret by race among U.S. women.•Native American women have the highest odds of sterilization and of regret.•Sterilization regret is also higher for Hispanic women who are sterilized.•Reasons for sterilization surgery differ by race and impact odds of regret. Surgical sterilization is a relatively permanent form of contraception that has been disproportionately used by Black, Hispanic, and Native American women in the United States in the past. We use a nationally representative sample of 4592 women ages 25–45 to determine whether sterilization continues to be more common and consequential by race for reproductive-age women. Results indicate that Native American and Black women are more likely to be sterilized than non-Hispanic White women, and Hispanic and Native American women are more likely than non-Hispanic White women to report that their sterilization surgeries prevent them from conceiving children they want. Reasons for sterilization differ significantly by race. These findings suggest that stratified reproduction has not ended in the United States and that the patterns and consequences of sterilization continue to vary by race.