Declining rates of sterilization procedures in Western Australian women from 1990 to 2008: the relationship with age, hospital type, and government policy changes

Abstract

Rates of female sterilization procedures in Western Australia have declined substantially across all age groups in the last two decades. Women's decisions to undergo sterilization procedures may be influenced by government interventions that increase access to long-term reversible contraceptives or encourage childbirth.

Declining rates of sterilisation reversal procedures in western Australian women from 1990 to 2008: the relationship with age, hospital type and government policy changes

“…Drago and colleagues (2011) suggested that the announcement of the Australia’s ‘Baby Bonus’ policy in 2004 (which provided a financial incentive per child born) increased fertility intentions [ 20 , 21 ]. Our previous study of WA women, which showed sterilisation rates dropped by 30% after the implementation of this policy, supports this suggestion [ 3 ]. However, whether increased fertility intentions after the introduction of the ‘Baby Bonus’ policy [ 20 , 21 ], would encourage women to restore fertility by SR is much less certain especially given the costs involved with unsubsidised SR which would offset any financial gains under the Baby Bonus scheme.…”

“…The substantial reductions in SR over the observation period are also likely (at least in part) due to the declining sterilisation rates among WA women over the last two decades [ 3 ]. Drago and colleagues (2011) suggested that the announcement of the Australia’s ‘Baby Bonus’ policy in 2004 (which provided a financial incentive per child born) increased fertility intentions [ 20 , 21 ].…”

“…To determine appropriate denominators of women ‘at risk’ for SR, data on the population of women who had been sterilised in WA were extracted from HMDC, as described by Jama-Alol and colleagues [ 3 ]. These data included women who were sterilised in WA from 1980 onwards so the women in this current study had a minimum sterilisation look back period of 10 years.…”

“…Female sterilisation is a common birth control method [ 1 ], although rates have declined in Australia and internationally in recent times [ 2 , 3 ], and it is usually performed on an elective basis at perceived family completion [ 4 ]. Around 1–3% of women who have undergone sterilisation elect to undergo sterilisation reversal (SR) or anastomosis at a later stage [ 5 – 7 ].…”