sterilization

In medicine, any surgical operation to terminate the possibility of reproduction. In women, this is normally achieved by sealing or tying off the Fallopian tubes (tubal ligation) so that fertilization can no longer take place. In men, the transmission of sperm is blocked by vasectomy.

According to the results of a long-term US study released in 1996, the failure rate for female sterilization is 1 in 50, higher than previously believed, with some pregnancies occurring as long as 14 years after the operation.

Sterilization may be encouraged by governments to limit population growth or as part of a selective-breeding policy (see eugenics), for example approximately 600,000 women are sterilized every year in India (1998).

sterilization

Killing or removal of living organisms such as bacteria and fungi. A sterile environment is necessary in medicine, food processing, and some scientific experiments. Methods include heat treatment (such as boiling), the use of chemicals (such as disinfectants), irradiation with gamma rays, and filtration. See also asepsis.