Contraceptive sterilization among married adults: national data on who chooses vasectomy and tubal sterilization

Gender inequality and the ‘East-West’ divide in contraception: An analysis at the individual, the couple, and the country level

“…We are able to confirm this hypothesis, except for the relationship between country-level gender inequality and sterilization. At the individual level our results are in line with studies in the European and US context that show a positive association between women's higher socioeconomic status and modern reversible contraceptives (Dereuddre et al 2016, Janevic et al 2012, Martinez et al 2006, Moreau et al 2006, Mosher and Jones 2010, Serbanescu et al 2004, Spinelli et al 2000, and a negative association with (female) sterilization (Anderson et al 2012, Bertotti 2013, Bumpass et al 2000, Eeckhaut and Sweeney 2016, Mosher and Jones 2010. Available research that goes beyond the individual level is generally lacking for reversible methods, and comparisons between modern reversible and permanent methods are scarce, but in this study, we find that higher levels of occupational gender equality between spouses are associated with a higher likelihood of relying on modern reversible methods instead of no, traditional, or permanent methods.…”

“…For women with a childbearing desire, we hypothesize-in line with most existing literature-that contraceptive efficacy will surpass other arguments, and that higher levels of gender inequality will be associated with a higher probability of using no or traditional methods, rather than modern reversible methods (H1). For those with no childbearing intentions, previous comparisons between reversible and permanent modern methods remain lacking, but the observation that modern reversible use is generally related to higher socioeconomic status whereas-particularly female-sterilization is linked to lower socioeconomic status (Anderson et al 2012, Bertotti 2013, Bumpass et al 2000, Mosher and Jones 2010) leads us to suggest that higher levels of gender inequality will be associated with a higher probability of using no, traditional or modern permanent methods, rather than modern reversible methods (H1). Second, a comparison is made between non-use, and male and female methods.…”

“…For sterilization, it is found that the higher educated or those with a higher income are less likely to rely on female sterilization and more likely to use male sterilization, compared with the lower-educated or those with a lower income (Anderson et al 2012, Barone et al 2004, Bertotti 2013, Bumpass et al 2000, Martinez et al 2006, Mosher and Jones 2010. The positive association between socioeconomic status and male sterilization however seems unique to the US (Eeckhaut and Sweeney 2016).…”

Power and the gendered division of contraceptive use in Western European couples

“…First, to the best of our knowledge, it is the first to investigate whether and how power dynamics-measured as partners' relative education, the division of housework and decision-making power-are related to couples' male versus female contraceptive method choice. Previous studies' unilateral focus on how one's higher socioeconomic status is associated with more effective contraceptive use (Anderson et al, 2012;Martinez et al, 2006;Moreau et al, 2006;Mosher and Jones, 2010;Oddens et al, 1994aOddens et al, , 1994bSpinelli et al, 2000) implicitly linked contraception to (particularly women's) empowerment and the ability to take control. By incorporating a couple perspective, the question can be raised whether this control over the couple's contraceptive domain leads men or women to either retain contraceptive responsibility or to transfer it to their partner.…”

“…Grady et al, 2010;Kusunoki and Upchurch, 2011;Manning et al, 2009;Stolley, 1996), research on the social determinants of contraceptive use has mainly studied the female population, because reproduction and contraception are often framed as a female sphere of influence (Edwards, 1994;Fennell, 2011). Moreover, the majority of studies, also those that have taken men's as well as women's preferences and childbearing desires into account, have limited their attention to individual demographic characteristics, such as the influence of educational attainment or income level on the adoption of certain contraceptive methods (Anderson et al, 2012;Martinez et al, 2006;Moreau et al, 2006;Mosher and Jones, 2010;Oddens et al, 1994aOddens et al, , 1994bSpinelli et al, 2000).…”