ABSTRACT
The study investigates the factors involved in the decision of a sample of women to break appointments for sterilizations at the Fertility Management Unit of the University of the West Indies. A case control study involved 50 women who did not show up (no-shows) and an equal number who did show up (shows) over the same period. The no-shows had spent a shorter time in their current union than the shows, and some had no children for their partners at the time the appointments were made. Marriage was the single most important event that would encourage the no-shows to consider sterilization in the future. As long as poor women see child bearing as a precondition for financial assistance from spouses, they will hesitate to give up this capability.
PIP: As part of a research program to identify the barriers to increasing the acceptance of sterilization in the West Indies, a study was undertaken to determine why an estimated 16% of annual registrants for sterilization failed to keep their appointments (no-shows). From 300 no-shows, a random sample of 50 was interviewed and matched for year of registration, age, parity, marital and economic status, and geographic area with a control sample of 50 sterilized women. The most important reason for considering sterilization for all of the women was the desire to have no more children. The no-shows exhibited a lack of self-motivation, citing friends and medical personnel as motivators, and in no case did motivation come from the partner. The no-shows cited partner-related reasons and fear as causing them to break the appointments. Many women were ready for sterilization but were unable to discuss the topic with their partners. Among the sterilized women, 2 regretted the procedure. Among the no-shows, there had been 8 pregnancies, 3 of which were terminated, and 7 women were attempting to become pregnant. Recent research in the Caribbean suggests that improving women's status plays a more important role in reducing fertility than that played by family planning programs. As long as childbearing is seen as a precondition for receiving financial assistance from a man, it will continue.
