RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Outcomes of women referred for sterilisation
JF Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care
JO J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care
FD British Medical Journal Publishing Group
SP 184
OP 185
DO 10.1783/147118906777888260
VO 32
IS 3
A1 Rebekah A Smith
A1 Elizabeth A Martindale
YR 2006
UL http://jfprhc.bmj.com/content/32/3/184.abstract
AB Objective To evaluate whether women referred to a gynaecology clinic requesting sterilisation were receiving appropriate counselling about sterilisation and other forms of long-term contraception, and to determine the proportion of women who ultimately underwent sterilisation. Methods A retrospective audit of 100 women referred requesting sterilisation. Results 15% of women referred did not attend the clinic, 54% had sterilisation and 29% ultimately chose an alternative method. Alternative forms of contraception discussed were levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (69%), vasectomy (34%) and subdermal progestogen implants (21%). At the clinic 70 (82%) women chose sterilisation; however, 15 (21%) of these women cancelled the operation. Conclusions Almost half of the women referred for sterilisation did not proceed with it, suggesting that there was insufficient counselling about sterilisation and alternative long-term contraception before referral to the gynaecology clinic and also within the clinic itself.