Indications for surgical sterilization.

Indications categorized as medical obstetric or parity for 842 female sterilizations between 1957 and 1968 are analyzed graphically by year. Overall medical and obstetric indications are listed. Medical indications fell from 100% to about 10% and parity rose from 0 to about 80%. Average parity fell from 8.3 to 5.5. Types of operative procedures supplemental procedures complication rate in the University of Missouri Hospital and contribution of parity to maternal death rates in Missouri are detailed. There were 2 failures and no mortalities.