Female sterilisation.

MawtheMerrier

Thankyou very much

I decided when I was 37 that 2 children were enough for me. My husband worked in the Oil industry and also played away a lot ( although he always denied it) I had to get his permission in 1976 to have it done on the NHS.. The waiting time was 15 months so I decided to have it done in the private hospital. It cost £150 at that time with one overnight stay in the hospital. I never regretted it although my mother was horrified at the time. I got divorced in 1989.

My dh had a vasectomy in the early 80s and remember at that time it was commonly women being sterilised, a much more complicated procedure than the much simpler vasectomy. I could never understand why once again it was women taking responsibility for family planning.
It’s a long time since I have come across this and assume it is because modern contraception is much better now.

I have no comment on the NHS.

Had my tubes tied age 37, and 3 children, no issues getting it done. That was in Australia in 2000.

in answer to original question of why it is done less now everywhere -I think 2 reasons.

1. contraception, particularly long term contraception like implanon and mirena, are much more reliable and user friendly.

2. More men are taking up the option of vasectomy instead

pinkprincess

I was sterilised n 1972 at 28 during my second caesarean section.
My DS1 and I had almost died during his birth by EMCS.I never wanted to have another after this happened but, as the saying goes, things happen. At my first ante natal appointment the consultant told me or rather demanded that I have my tubes tied as in his words '' We cannot cut you open everytime you have a baby''.I was given no counselling but after what happened the first time I was too scared to refuse.
I had a lot of regrets afterwards in spite of this.Suddenly everyone I knew was pregnant or just had a baby.This was made worse by my MIL telling that I had committed a mortal sin and there was no longer any hope for me.
I learnt to live with it over the years and now I am a proud grandmother and great grandmother, courtesy of my DS2

pink princess That consultant should have been struck off. I had C sections in 73,75,77 and 81 .
Your story makes me very sad but I am glad things have turned out well despite the attitudes you describe.

Downtoearth

I was sterilised n 1972 at 28 during my second caesarean section.
My DS1 and I had almost died during his birth by EMCS.I never wanted to have another after this happened but, as the saying goes, things happen. At my first ante natal appointment the consultant told me or rather demanded that I have my tubes tied as in his words '' We cannot cut you open everytime you have a baby''.I was given no counselling but after what happened the first time I was too scared to refuse.
I had a lot of regrets afterwards in spite of this.Suddenly everyone I knew was pregnant or just had a baby.This was made worse by my MIL telling that I had committed a mortal sin and there was no longer any hope for me.
I learnt to live with it over the years and now I am a proud grandmother and great grandmother, courtesy of my DS2

I was refused a sterilisation too at 30 even though I had loads too many children, one disabled

I was sterilised in 1972, at the age of 28, I had 5 children by then. I`ve never regretted it.

I was casually offered sterilisation in the 1980s when I had to have the placenta removed after child no 3 was born. The last thing I said to the obstetrician as I drifted off under the anaesthetic was “if you sterilise me, I’ll sue you”. I went on to have two more children, and then chose to have my tubes clipped as a day case in my mid 40s.

I had a mini lap operation when my second child was 6 weeks old. That was in 1979.
The only incision was through my navel so no scar visible.

Maw mid 40s, i have children ranging from adult to primary

I had prolapse repair and sterilisation done with no problem when third child was 2 in 1986. My only worry was it was done internally so no visible evidence ?

I don’t know how old you are VioletSky but I had no problem getting my sterilisation on the NHS in 1982 when my third daughter was 6 month old.
I had had 4 C sections (not advisable apparently) and my uterus had been close to rupturing when D 3 was delivered, so it was a no-brainier.
If DH and I had split up and he subsequently wanted (more) children with another partner that would not have been affected but there was no way I could contemplate another pregnancy - and accidents can happen.

I was sterilised in 1982 when my son reached his first birthday ….hospital wouldn’t do it before then. I was 31. No husband permission needed.

I was sterallised at the age of 32 and it was the best decision i have EVER made.

Indeed VioletSky, I agree with you; and I thought of those women I nursed when I made my own decision.
Mercifully I was never put in the position that they were.

How horrible VS

Some docs should not be allowed to practice unless they pass a course on human empathy

Nanarose Ive met doctors who made mistakes with my care and ive met wonderful doctors.

But the issue that I addressed is a completely sexist man who didnt trust me, a woman, to make decisions regarding my own body.

Other peoples regret in their decisions has no baring at all. I had no chance to be given a fair assessment on whether i was capsble of making an informed and rational decision. The argument that my children might all die in a fire was not a rational argument. Statistically i would assume that happening to be far less likely than my regretting my choice so it wasn't a necessary argument. I had 1 planned child and 2 conceived on birth control. I went on to have 2 more on birth control.

My children are very loved but I had a consistent history of using birth control.

That consistent history is why a female doctor did agreed to refer me. I became pregnant again before the procedure.

After that pregnancy i was told they no longer do it and i could no longer have it on the NHS. I have no idea how true that is or how widespread...

Fortunately it was entirely easy for my husband to make that decision and get himself booked in for a procedure. After the 5th lol

It was standard, maybe still is, to do a D&C at the time of a sterilisation 'just in case you're pregnant'.
I told the doctor I'd been making sure not to be pregnant for many years and was sure I could cope for a little while longer so I didn't want the D&C.
He seemed a bit annoyed I wasn't following the script.

tincao, I am glad that you got the procedure that you needed, and it is a shame that you had to go about it in a clandestine way. But in the interests of accuracy, as this is a UK based site, that would not have been the case in the UK.

yes, VioletSky, I understand that there are some inappropriate doctors out there - fewer now I hope. I have been fortunate mostly to work with caring and respectful colleagues.

I was 29, 3 dificult pregnancies,first daughter died at 7 weeks old.

Second daughter,and my son delivered by C section,I asked to be sterilised whilst having my second C section.

My consultant asked what would happen if my children died,I answered you cant replace them,that was good enough for him.

Sadly my second daughter did die at 23,she was irreplaceable.

In the 1970s I was 32 and was having an operation anyway so asked if they would sterilise me at the same time . There was no counselling or anything they just agreed but asked my husband to sign the form that he agreed with the operation. My mother was astounded as she had been 32 when I was born but I had some years of ill health and was happy with the family I had .

I asked for sterilisation at 38 as I couldn't take the pill and DH had chickened out of a vasectomy twice. Our daughters were teenagers.
I was put on an NHS waiting list to discuss this with a consultant. A month later I was pregnant.
I saw the same consultant at my first ante natal appointment. He saw my sterilisation request and put me to the top of the queue. I had it done 6 weeks after DS was born.

I was 42, single and child free having never ever remotely wanted children. Saw a female consultant who there and then put a date in her diary for me. She said in his referral letter my GP had expressed concern as I had no children. I stated that at 42 I was hardly likely to suddenly find any maternal instinct. The surgery on the Friday was a doddle, I was home two hours later, out to dinner the next night and back at work on the Monday. It was lovely to not think about contraception any more.