Norman Anderson asserts that sterilizations occur for three major reasons. He believes sterilizations occur for, "population control, for genetic reasons and convenience. It can also, of course, be effected for purely therapeutic reasons- (Anderson 69). .
Population control would be a main reason for sterilization. Preventing disabled people from procreation would stop the need for community involvement and support programs in rearing children. .
A second reason for sterilization is genetic cleansing. On May 30, 2002, The CBC news staff reported that in British Columbia, between the years 1940-1968 nineteen, former mental health patients were sterilized. Sterilizations were allowed to occur because "a law on the books at the time allowed sterilizations in cases where the children of the mental health patients would inherit the mental illness or disability- ("B.C. Faces forced sterilization lawsuit-). History has always told a story of people who were deemed unfit' to be a part of society. Sterilization provided a way for those deemed unfit' to stop breeding more unfit' people.
Therapeutic Reason is the most common motive for sterilization today. For instance a woman may need a hysterectomy to solve a health problem in her womb. A man might have to have a vasectomy to control a problem that he is enduring in his reproductive system. These sterilizations are performed because the physical health of the patient is at risk. Also, "it is usually a byproduct of an operation performed for some other reason--as in the case of a hysterectomy- (Anderson 69). Sterilizations may also occur because of reproductive complications. For instance, a woman's life may be in danger if she were to get pregnant and bare a child. For this reason its safer for a woman to be sterile to avoid the possibility of giving birth.
Lastly someone may opt for sterilization as a means of birth control. Many men and women choose to be sterilized to prevent future procreation.
