What the Awkwardness of Sterilization Tells Us

The author had a potentially life-threatening postpartum hemorrhage after their fourth child's birth, bringing them face-to-face with the possibility of a hysterectomy. Hysterectomies are generally considered morally permissible when done out of medical necessity. In contrast, sterilization procedures like tubal ligations and vasectomies are more ethically complex as they involve destroying a natural bodily function to prevent life. Ninety-nine percent of evangelicals use some form of contraception, with sterilization and hormonal methods being the most common. The author notes that despite its popularity, sterilization often makes people feel uneasy, with many men recoiling at the idea of a vasectomy. Around half a million men in the United States undergo vasectomies annually, while more women undergo tubal ligation.