“Female sterilization is an incredibly popular method worldwide, largely owing to its effectiveness and low cost,” says Dr. Vala-Haynes, whose work focuses on international reproductive health. “About a fifth of women worldwide are sterilized, with certain geographical hotspots like India, where approximately 75% of women are sterilized.”

This study addresses an essential service gap and supports recent work that has determined some underlying mechanisms of coercion. Specifically, Drs. Vala-Haynes and Jadhav found that government quotas for sterilization could be contributing to coercion since they promote a focus on quantity – rather than quality – of care.

The findings also suggest an urgent need to improve quality of care within the health systems that provide sterilizations for women. According to Dr. Vala-Haynes, a critical part of this will be training providers.

A woman’s ability to freely and responsibly choose a contraceptive method depends upon several components, one of which is the information supplied to her by a medical provider. Sufficient time and willingness to counsel a woman and ensure she understands the implications of the decision to undergo sterilization will go a long way in ensuring agency and reproductive rights for the woman.