Sterilization in the United States

Had no U.S. married couples obtained contraceptive sterilizations, there would have been about 800,000 unwanted births during 1971-1973 in addition to the 8.7 million births that actually occurred. More than half of U.S. couples elect sterilization within 10 years after their last wanted birth, and more than six in 10 are sterilized within 15 years.