Abdominal hysterectomy for surgical sterilization in the mentally retarded: a review of parental opinion.

Between the years 1950 and 1973, 152 abdominal hysterectomies were performed for surgical sterilization in patients who were mentally retarded. A retrospective follow-up study was performed to ascertain the opinions of parents, guardians, and institutional care workers charged with the care and responsibility of these patients since the time of the original operation. In the categories evaluated, over 90 per cent of those charged with the care of the patient were enthusiastic for the benefits achieved by hysterectomy rather than tubal ligation for the purpose of surgical sterilization.