Examines the social phenomena in the West and the "developed" countries of the world, that of women's elective sterilization. The study identifies that a minority of women choose not to become mothers, opting for voluntary sterilization in order to remain childfree. A number of issues relating to choice in contraception and women choosing to be sterilized are explored from feminist and sociological perspectives, using feminist research techniques based on oral and written histories. The 25 women who are the participants in the study reveal the struggles they faced, not only in being women without children in a society which expects women to be mothers, but also in overcoming the many barriers encountered on the way to voluntary sterilization.

Table of Contents

Womanhood and motherhood; population and contraception - past and present; examining the childfree choice - from contraception to sterilization; personal choices, decisions and medical reponses; sterlization as a positive chice.