[Sterilization of mentally retarded women]

The sterilization of mentally retarded women raises gynecologic, psychiatric and legal questions. Gynecologic considerations include the experience of the reliability of reversible contraceptive methods with mentally retarded patients and questions concerning the type of operation. From the psychiatric point of view the prognoses of mentally retarded patients and the expected psychic coping with the operation are essential aspects in the indication for sterilization. Last but not least, the Swiss legal framework for sterilization must be considered. This aspect is illustrated on the basis of the results of a catamnestic analysis of 21 patients operated on between 1980 and 1987.