This study analyses factors associated with the incidence of sterilization
regret in the four south Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala
and Tamil Nadu. Using data from the National Family Health Surveys, in all
four states the incidence of regret was found to be less than 10% and the
factors significantly associated with it were child loss experience and qua
lity of services. Hence, there is a need to improve the quality of services
, both in terms of counselling and service provision, and women need to be
counselled about the permanent nature of sterilization in order to avoid fu
ture regret.