Risk factors for regret after tubal sterilization: 5 years of follow-up in a prospective study *

The Collaborative Review of Sterilization is a prospective, multicenter study that interviewed 7,590 women before they underwent tubal sterilization and then conducted yearly follow-up interviews that included questions on sterilization regret. These women contributed 26,641 observations (for up to 5years after the procedure, 1978 to 1988) to an analysis of the presterilization characteristics most consistently associated with poststerilization regret. Young age at the time of sterilization was the strongest predictor of regret, regardless of parity or marital status; among women 20 to 24years of age at sterilization, an average of 4.3% reported regret over the follow-up period. The rate of regret was significantly lower for women 30 to 34years of age (2.4%).