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'It’s my body, it’s my life' | More women seeking sterilization amid abortion restrictions in North Carolina

Dr. Kavita Arora, an OB-GYN, said the data is still limited, but she's seen a rise in the number of women requesting sterilization to avoid getting pregnant.

SHELBY, N.C. — North Carolina women are now considering permanent sterilization procedures like hysterectomies or getting their tubes tied, according to doctors. 

This trend comes after state lawmakers approved a 12-week restriction on abortions this summer.

“There is no longer wiggle room or room for error," Dr. Kavita Arora, an OB-GYN at UNC School of Medicine, said. 

Arora said the data is still limited, but she's seen a rise in the number of women requesting sterilization to avoid getting pregnant. She believes the requests asking for permanent birth control are directly related to state abortion laws.

“We’re pressuring them in other ways with these policies right?" Arora said. "We are forcing folks to make decisions that are permanent and require surgery that they may not have otherwise made if all their reproductive healthcare options were available to them.”  

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“That was kind of what really pushed us to find a doctor," Kelsey Rayfield, a North Carolina resident, said.  

Rayfield, 28, said she knew she didn't want to have kids and had contemplated getting sterilization for quiet some time due to polycystic ovary syndrome. Now, with stricter abortion laws, it solidified her decision.

She recently had a hysterectomy done by a Shelby doctor. 

She's among the growing number of women in North Carolina choosing permanent sterilization in the wake of new abortion restrictions. 

“Because my husband and I knew we didn’t want children," Rayfield said. "We did not want to feel forced or trapped into something that would change our lives into something we didn’t want.”  

Since the procedure is permanent, some doctors are reluctant, especially for those who are younger.

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“There was just a lot of pushback," Rayfield said. “A lot of the places we called wanted my husband’s permission and kept saying we would change our minds.” 

Rayfield said she's not alone and is part of a Facebook support group that helps people going through this process.

She said at a time when lawmakers chip away at reproductive rights, she's confident in her decision.  

“It’s my body, it’s my life.” 

Since stricter abortion laws have been in place, doctors also say they've seen an increase in forms of birth control, like IUDs.

Contact Lexi Wilson at lwilson@wcnc.com and follow her on FacebookX and Instagram.

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