Legal status of human sterilization by country
This article provides an overview of human sterilization by country. While many countries permit voluntary sterilization for contraceptive purposes, some permit it only for medical or eugenic purposes. Additional restrictions may include minimum age, parental or spousal consent.[1]
Country | Allowed for contraceptive purposes | Notes |
---|---|---|
Andorra | Yes[1] | Since 1996 |
Australia | Yes[1] | Since 1977 |
Austria | Yes[1] | 25+ years for contraceptive purposes. Since 1974 |
Bangladesh | Yes[1] | |
Botswana | Yes[1] | |
Brazil | Yes[1] | 25+ years or <25 with two children for contraceptive purposes. Since 1996 |
Canada | Yes[1] | Since 1979 |
Chile | Yes[1] | Since 2001 |
China | Yes[1] | |
Colombia | Yes[1] | Since 1984 |
Costa Rica | Yes[1] | Since 1999 |
Croatia | Yes[1] | 35+ for contraceptive purposes. Since 1978 |
Cuba | Yes[1] | 32+ years with several children for contraceptive purposes. Since 1968 |
Czech Republic | Yes[1] | 35+ years with three children or <35 with four children for contraceptive purposes. Since 1991 |
Denmark | Yes[1] | 25+ years for contraceptive reasons. Since 1976 |
Dominican Republic | Yes[1] | 40+ years with one child, 35+ with three children, 30+ with five children or 25+ with six children for contraceptive purposes. Since 1972 |
Ecuador | Yes[1] | 25+ years with three children for contraceptive purposes. Since 1992 |
El Salvador | Yes[1] | Since 1979 |
Fiji | Yes[1] | |
Finland | Yes[1] | 30+ years or <30 years and three children for contraceptive purposes. Since 1985 |
France | Yes[1] | Since 2001 |
Germany | Yes[1] | |
Ghana | Yes[1] | |
Guatemala | No[1] | |
Honduras | Yes[1] | 35+ years with one child or 24–43 with three children for contraceptive purposes. |
Hungary | Yes[1] | 40+ years or 35+ years with three children or 30+ years with four children. |
Iceland | Yes[1] | |
India | Yes[1] | |
Indonesia | Yes[1] | |
Israel | Yes[1] | |
Italy | Yes[1] | |
Japan | No[1] | Current law since 1996. |
Kenya | Yes[1] | |
Kyrgyzystan | No[1] | |
Lesotho | Yes[1] | |
Liechtenstein | Yes[1] | 25+ years for contraceptive purposes. |
Lithuania[2] | No | |
Luxembourg | Yes[1] | |
Malaysia | No | According to 1981 fatwa sterilization is forbidden for men and women. Temporary contraceptive methods may be permitted for health and economic reasons.[3] |
Mexico | Yes[1] | |
Mongolia | Yes[1] | |
Myanmar | No[1] | Since 1963 |
Nepal | Yes[1] | |
Netherlands | Yes[1] | |
New Zealand | Yes[1] | |
Nicaragua | Yes[1] | |
Niger | Yes[1] | 35+ years with four children for contraceptive purposes. |
Nigeria | Yes[1] | |
Norway | Yes[1] | |
Pakistan | Yes[1] | |
Panama | Yes[1] | Five children for contraceptive purposes. |
Paraguay | Yes[1] | |
Peru | Yes[1] | |
Philippines | Yes[1] | |
Poland | No | Reproductive sterilisation of men or women has been defined as a criminal act since 1997[4]:19 and remains so as of 5 September 2019, under Article 156 §1, which also covers making someone blind, deaf or mute, of the 1997 law.[5]:64 The original 1997 law punished contraventions with a prison sentence of one to ten years[4] and the updated law as of 5 September 2019 sets a prison sentence of at least 3 years.[5] The prison sentence is a maximum of three years if the sterilisation is involuntary, under Art. 156 §2.[4][5]:64 |
Portugal | Yes[1] | 25+ years for contraceptive purposes. |
Romania | Yes[1] | |
Russia | Yes[1] | 35+ years or <35 with two children. |
Singapore | Yes[1] | |
Slovenia | Yes[1] | 35+ years for contraceptive purposes |
Rwanda | No[1] | |
Saudi Arabia | No[1] | |
South Africa | Yes[1] | |
South Korea | Yes[1] | Since 1973 |
Spain | Yes[1] | |
Sri Lanka | Yes[1] | |
Sudan | No[1] | Since 1990 |
Sweden | Yes[1] | 25+ years for contraceptive purposes; 18–25 for eugenic, health (women only) or sex change reasons. |
Switzerland | Yes[1] | |
Taiwan | Yes[1] | Since 1984 |
Tanzania | Yes[1] | |
Thailand | Yes[1] | |
Trinidad and Tobago | Yes[1] | |
Tunisia | Yes[1] | Since 1973 |
Turkey | Yes[1] | Since 1983 |
Uganda | Yes[1] | Since 1993 |
United Arab Emirates | No | Women can opt for sterilisation if they have had "any medical illness that could endanger their life in future due to pregnancy.[6] |
United Kingdom | Yes[1] | |
United States | Yes[1] | |
Venezuela | No[1] | Since 1971 |
Vietnam | Yes[1] | Since 1989 |
Zambia | Yes[1] | Since 1965 |
Zimbabwe | Yes[1] | Since 1985 |
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb "Contraceptive Sterilization: Global Issues and Trends. Chapter 4" (PDF). 2002.
- ^ "2016–2017 Human Rights in Lithuania" (PDF).
Lithuania has not legalized voluntary surgical sterilization, as a family planning method
- ^ "Reproductive rights: Malaysia" (PDF). p. 94.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "553 Ustawa z dnia 6 czerwca 1997 r. – Kodeks karny" [553 Law of 6 June 1997 – Criminal code] (PDF). Sejm. 6 June 1997. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Ustawa z dnia 6 czerwca 1997 r. – Kodeks karny – Opracowano na podstawie t.j. Dz. U. z 2018 r. poz. 1600, 2077, z 2019 r. poz. 730, 858, 870, 1135, 1579" [Law of 6 June 1997 – Criminal code – Updated on the basis of Dz. U. 2018 parts 1600, 2077, and Dz. U. 2019 parts 730, 858, 870, 1135, 1579] (PDF). Sejm. 5 September 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
- ^ Women now able to undergo sterilisation at private hospitals
Categories:
- Human reproduction
- Law by country
- Legal issues in pregnancy