(Deseret News) – Surgical sterilization is on the rise among young American women during a global fertility crisis. What are unintended consequences of the decision?

While elective sterilization is a personal decision, it is not without societal costs, particularly in a time when declining birth rates pose demographic challenges worldwide. Those costs are both financial (a procedure can cost up to $6,000, although this is not paid by those on Medicaid or with private insurance) and emotional — counseling before sterilization aims to prevent a patient’s regret. Moreover, healthcare providers wrestle with myriad issues including how to ensure fair access without overly encouraging or restricting the procedure, amid a history stained with abuses. (Read More)