Emotional reaction to female sterilization: a prospective study
Aribarg, S.; Aribarg, A.
Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand 65(4): 167-171
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-2208 PMID: 7108404 Document Number: 415429
A prospective study of the emotional reaction to interval sterilization was conducted by means of interviews 1 week prior to sterilization and 7 months postoperative with 155 Buddhist Thai women aged 35 years or under, living in Bangkok, and undergoing interval laparoscopic sterilizations for socioeconomic indications. The mean age of subjects was 27.8 years, with a range of 19-35, mean duration of marriage was 8.0 years, and mean number of children was 2.8. 56.1% of the women were housewives, 77.0% had a low educational level, and 100% were of lower socioeconomic status. 65 subjects reported psychophysiologic and emotional symptoms prior to operation, 51 continued to complain of the symptoms 6 months later, and 10 women developed new symptoms postoperatively. In the preoperative interviews, 26 women complained of irritability, 25 of headache and backache, 10 of weakness and lethargy, 11 of giddiness or fainting, 5 each of palpitation and breathing difficulty, 8 of insomnia, 4 each of anorexia and gastrointestinal upset, and 3 of other conditions. Of the 10 women developing symptoms postoperatively, 6 complained of irritability, 5 of headache, 3 of insomnia, and 1 each of weakness and lethargy, giddiness or fainting, and anorexia. Irritability and headache, which accounted for most of the symptoms, were mostly mild and few required medication. Further psychiatric investigation into personal backgrounds of subjects with psychophysiologic or emotional symptoms revealed that practically all had concurrent problems with their marriages, children, finances, or relatives, with marital problems the most frequent. 35% of subjects reported postoperative menstrual disturbances, but 72% of the sample had been on oral contraceptives or IUDs, which can influence menstrual patterns. 8 and 10 women respectively reported increased sexual drive and sexual satisfaction, 6 and 3 reported decreased drive and satisfaction, and 141 and 142 reported no change in desire or satisfaction. 5 reported postoperative dyspareunia. 145 husbands and 152 wives stated they were satisfied with the operation.