“Sterilization: definitive… and voluntary? What ethical issues? “. It is with this theme that the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Ethical Reflection Space (EREBFC) held a webinar this Tuesday.
“Little or no regrets”
“Sterilization is a choice that is anything but trivial,” explains Marie-Elisabeth Maugan, hospital engineer, in charge of missions within the EREBFC. In fact, the issues and questions that arise on this subject are multiple, whether for women or for men. Regarding women, based on several studies, Marie-Elisabeth Maugan indicates that today, “the decision not to procreate is free from male agreement”, that sterilization would constitute, for many, “an autonomy at its peak.
And also that sterilization presents “no risk of pregnancy”, that it requires “no hormones”, does not entail “no mental burden” linked to taking “contraceptives” or “renewal of ‘prescription’, and that its cost is ‘limited’. On the other hand, “the refusal of professionals” (to practice it) is experienced “as infantilizing, with the feeling of having to justify oneself”. Finally, feedback would highlight “little or no regrets” after female sterilization. In France, the annual number of female sterilizations was 20,325 in 2023.
For comparison, 30,288 vasectomies were carried out in 2022 in the country, compared to 1,940 in 2010, or fifteen times more, which reflects a real underlying trend.
“More male than female sterilizations”
“Now, there are more male sterilizations than female ones,” notes Marie-Elisabeth Maugan. Also, on the specific question of the sterilization of men, the issues relate to their place “in the contraceptive management of the couple”, to a balancing of the ““weight” of contraception usually carried by the woman”, to the will “ not to harm your partner with an unwanted pregnancy (and potential abortion).”
In addition, the specialist notes that the education of boys in contraception can be “improved”. Finally, on the professional side, there sometimes remains a certain amount of reluctance regarding sterilization. Marie-Elisabeth Maugan emphasizes that “the contraceptive scheme well established in France” is that of “the condom, then the pill, then the IUD”.
“Sterilization is better accepted by professionals for primiparous or multiparous women (women who have given birth for the first time or several times)”, after 35 years. Also, among professionals, some are “afraid of harming a patient who regrets her choice”. “ [Il y a ainsi] the need to make it clear to the patient that she is responsible for her choice. »
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