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Post-sterilization autonomy among young mothers in south india
Authors: Saseendran Pallikadavath, Irudaya Rajan, Abhishek Singh, Reuben Ogollah & Samantha Page
Source: Journal of Biosocial Science, FirstView Article pp 1-15, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S002193201300059X, Published online: 21 November 2013
Topic(s): Fertility
Country: Asia
  India
Published: MAR 2014
Abstract: This study examined the post-sterilization autonomy of women in south India in the context of early sterilization and low fertility. Quantitative data were taken from the third round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) carried out in 2005–06, and qualitative data from one village each in Kerala and Tamil Nadu during 2010–11. The incident rate ratios and thematic analysis showed that among currently married women under the age of 30 years, those who had been sterilized had significantly higher autonomy in household decision-making and freedom of mobility compared with women who had never used any modern family planning method. Early age at sterilization and low fertility enables women to achieve the social status that is generally attained at later stages in the life-cycle. Policies to capitalize on women's autonomy and free time resulting from early sterilization and low fertility should be adopted in south India.