Childfree by Choice: Stigma in Medical Consultations for Voluntary Sterilization

Abstract

Nearly one half of women between the ages of 40 and 44 who do not have children are voluntarily childless, or “childfree” (Pew Research Center, 2015 Pew Research Center. (2015). Childlessness. Retrieved from http://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2015/05/2015-05-07_children-ever-born_FINAL.pdf [Google Scholar]). Many childfree women (and men) request sterilization from medical providers (Richie, 2013 Richie, C. (2013). Voluntary sterilization for childfree women. Hastings Center Report, 43(6), 36–44. doi:10.1002/hast.216[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). Childfree women and men who request sterilization face questioning about their nulliparous status, risk of regretting the procedure, and age (ACOG, 2017 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) (2017). Sterilization of women: Ethical issues and considerations [Issue brief No. 695]. Retrieved from https://www.acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-and-Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Ethics/Sterilization-of-Women-Ethical-Issues-and-Considerations [Google Scholar]). Narrative accounts of medical interactions from Reddit’s /r/childfree were analyzed for evidence of experienced and anticipated stigma. Results indicated that clinicians’ mention of a patient’s age and the risk of regret during the sterilization counseling process were negatively predictive of procedural approval.