Sterilization Failure, Sterilization Reversal, and Pregnancy After Sterilization Reversal in Quebec

Abstract

In Brief OBJECTIVE 1) To determine the likelihood of sterilization reversal and of subsequent sterilization after sterilization reversal among men and women and 2) to examine the likelihood of pregnancy after sterilization (contraceptive failure) and of pregnancy after sterilization reversal. METHODS Payment data from the Quebec provincial health insurance system were obtained for each person undergoing vasectomy or female sterilization from January 1, 1980 to December 31, 1999 and linked through a unique identifying number for each person. Using standard techniques of survival analysis, we computed the cumulative probability of experiencing each of six events. RESULTS Among women, 0.9% (of 311,960) experienced a pregnancy after sterilization, 1.8% (of 321,929) obtained a reversal after sterilization, 61% (of 4369) achieved a pregnancy after sterilization reversal and 48% achieved a delivery; 23% (of 4677) obtained a subsequent sterilization after reversal. Among men, 2.4% (of 310,827) obtained a reversal after vasectomy and 18% (of 6694) obtained a subsequent vasectomy after reversal. All of these risks were much higher among those in the youngest age groups. CONCLUSION Sterilization reversal and pregnancy after sterilization are not rare. Relatively high rates of reversal among the youngest age groups suggest a need for better counseling about alternative contraceptive strategies High rates of female and male sterilization reversal among the youngest age groups in Quebec suggest a need for better counseling about alternative contraceptive strategies.