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
Argentina Yes[2] As of 2009
Australia Yes[1] Since 1977
Austria Yes[1] 25+ years for contraceptive purposes. Since 1974
Bahamas Yes[2] As of 2009
Bangladesh Yes[1]
Belarus Yes[1]

35+years or at least two children
Belize Yes[2] As of 2009
Botswana Yes[1]
Brazil Yes[1] 21+ years or <21 with two children for contraceptive purposes. Since 2022
Canada Yes[1] Since 1979
Cape Verde Yes[2] As of 2009
Chile Yes[1] Since 2001
China Yes[1]
Colombia Yes[1] Since 1984
Comoros Yes[2] As of 2009
Costa Rica Yes[1] Since 1999
Côte d'Ivoire Yes[2] As of 2009
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] 21+ years for contraceptive reasons. Since 2012
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
Georgia Yes[2] As of 2009
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] 25+ years for contraceptive purposes
India Yes[1] 20+ (women) or 25+ (men) years for contraceptive purposes, less if couple has two children. Spousal consent and has to have had one child that is a year old
Indonesia Yes[1]
Iran No In 2021 sterilization was prohibited except for medical purposes.[3]
Israel Yes[1]
Italy Yes[1]
Japan No[1] Current law since 1996. In practice, contraceptive sterilizations are performed routinely, with health reasons given as the justification.[1]
Kenya Yes[1]
Kyrgyzstan Yes[4]
Lesotho Yes[1]
Liechtenstein Yes[1] 25+ years for contraceptive purposes.
Lithuania[5] No
Luxembourg Yes[1]
Mali Yes[2] As of 2009
Malaysia No According to 1981 fatwa sterilization is forbidden for men and women. Temporary contraceptive methods may be permitted for health and economic reasons.[6]
Mexico Yes[1]
Moldova Yes[2] As of 2009
Mongolia Yes[1] Woman must have many children
Morocco Yes[2] As of 2009
Myanmar No[1] Since 1963
Namibia Yes[2] As of 2009
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]
North Macedonia Yes[2] As of 2009
Norway Yes[1] 25+ years for contraceptive purposes
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 (vasectomy) is legal in Poland, while other sterilization methods have been defined as a criminal act since 1997[7]: 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.[8]: 64  The original 1997 law punished contraventions with a prison sentence of one to ten years[7] and the updated law as of 5 September 2019 sets a prison sentence of at least 3 years.[8] The prison sentence is a maximum of three years if the sterilisation is involuntary, under Art. 156 §2.[7][8]: 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]
Senegal Yes[2] As of 2009
Slovak Republic Yes[2] As of 2009
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. At least four children required.
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".[9]
United Kingdom Yes[1]
United States Yes[1]
Uruguay Yes[2] As of 2009
Venezuela No[1] Since 1971
Vietnam Yes[1] Since 1989
Zambia Yes[1] Since 1965
Zimbabwe Yes[1] Since 1985
Laws regarding sterilization for contraceptive purposes around the world:
  Legal from the age of 18
  Legal from the age of 25 or 18 for those with two children
  Legal from the age of 25
  Legal from the age of 30, 35 or 40
  Legal for those with at least 3, 4 or 5 children sometimes with additional age requirements
  Illegal
  No data

References
  1. EngenderHealth (2002). "4". Contraceptive sterilization : global issues and trends. John A. Ross. New York, NY: EngenderHealth. ISBN 1-885063-31-8. OCLC 49322541.
  2. Reproductive Health Laws Around the World
  3. Iran: Population Law Violates Women’s Rights, 10 November 2021
  4. "Law of the Kyrgyz Republic on the protection of citizens' health in the Kyrgyz Republic".
  5. "2016–2017 Human Rights in Lithuania" (PDF). Lithuania has not legalized voluntary surgical sterilization, as a family planning method
  6. "Reproductive rights: Malaysia" (PDF). p. 94.
  7. "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.
  8. "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.
  9. Muslim, Nina (2 April 2008). "Women now able to undergo sterilisation at private hospitals". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
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