Identifying women who will request sterilization reversal in a military population.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to identify the characteristics of women in a military population who are likely to seek a tubal anastomosis after a previous bilateral tubal ligation (BTL).


METHODS
A written investigational review board-approved questionnaire was administered to 56 women, ages 18-40 years, requesting evaluation for a reversal of a prior BTL and 52 women of the same age range not seeking reversal. The questionnaire identified demographics and relationship characteristics of volunteers at the time of their decision to have a BTL and at the present time.


RESULTS
Age 25 years or younger, sterilization due to pressure from a partner, poor marital relationship at the time of the BTL and a new marriage are highly predictive of tubal sterilization regret and a request for sterilization reversal in a military population. In addition, women requesting a tubal anastomosis reported less preoperative counseling on the permanence of a BTL and of the male alternative for permanent female sterilization, vasectomy.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with these characteristics should have extensive counseling before undergoing tubal sterilization.
Moseman
Cher P
CP
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, Lackland Air Force Base, TX 78236, USA.
Robinson
Randal D
RD
Bates
G Wright
GW
Propst
Anthony M
AM
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013243:Sterilization Reversal / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States