Exploring post-sterilization regret in an underdeveloped region of rural West Bengal

The present study tries to explore post-sterilization regret in an underdeveloped region in the state of West Bengal, India. Although the state of West Bengal has witnessed fertility transition during the recent past and the adoption of female sterilization has increased substantially, the level of infant and child mortality remained at a high level, particularly among the marginalized. Data of 766 sterilization users belonging to 45 villages of Birbhum district of West Bengal were collected in a smallscale research study. Multivariate binary logit regressions were used to identify the socio-demographic characteristics associated with poststerilization regret.Women who have living children of both sexes and have participated in decision making regarding sterilization were significantly less likely to report regret, while those who had an incidence of child loss, reported post-sterilization health problems,did not have informed choice before sterilization and belonging to marginalized communities were more likely to report post-sterilization regret.