[Variations in the waiting time for sterilization and sterilization rate in Norway]

A comparison of data from independent sources on numbers of sterilized women indicates that figures for sterilization in Norwegian hospitals are incomplete. More than 50% of the sterilized women are outpatients and nearly 50% of the inpatients are sterilized in connection with other treatment. Permanent geographical differences in sterilization rates are observed, as well as a large variation in the waiting time. We have been unable to verify a simple relation between sterilization rate and waiting time or length of waiting list.