Who requests reversal of female sterilisation? A retrospective study from a Scottish unit

The characteristics and circumstances of 55 women who underwent reversal of sterilisation were compared with those of 55 women who had a sterilisation performed at the same time, but who did not subsequently undergo reversal. Patients who underwent reversal were sterilised at a significantly younger age, and were more likely to have been sterilised at the time of therapeutic abortion or miscarriage. The parity at the time of sterilisation was the same for both groups. The reason for requesting reversal was a change of partner in the vast majority of cases. From this and other studies we conclude that alternative contraception should be sought in patients who are young or whose relationships appear unsteady at the time of sterilisation request, and that sterilisation at the time of therapeutic abortion should be abandoned in favour of an interval procedure. By so doing we may stem the rising tide of patients who subsequently seek a reversal of their sterilisation.