A 23-year-old woman was told by her gynecologist that she wasn't able to "have her tubes tied" just in case she meets "Mr. Right" - despite her knowing that she doesn't want children.
There seems to be an evergrowing struggle over who gets to have the final say about what a woman does with her body (spoiler alert: the answer is the woman herself).
When a woman wishes to have a procedure to get her tubes tied (female sterilization) due to not wanting to have children in her lifetime, that should be respected, right?
Well, it would appear that some medical professionals take matters into their own hands and refuse to perform procedures if they don't trust that the individual has made the right call.
Olivia Downs has always been sure that she never wanted children as she explained in a TikTok detailing her "infuriating" experience with her gynecologist.
"I never want children, I have had this made up in my mind since I was old enough to think of the concept," Olivia began.
She went on to explain that her gynecologist explained to her that the procedure is irreversible. Olivia responded that she was aware of this, which is why she made the inquiry.
Having children is "not in my five-year-plan, my 10-year-plan, or my 50-year-plan, I don't want them," Olivia stated, but her doctor remained unmoved stating that she may change her mind in the future after finding "Mr. Right".
The gynecologist proceeded to present the 23-year-old with options such as getting an IUD, which is a small t-shaped plastic and copper device that acts as a contraceptive, otherwise known as the coil.
Putting on a voice pretending to be her doctor, Olivia joked: "We put it in your uterus and you cramp and bleed for three months."
It's safe to say that the gynecologist's comments to Olivia did not sit well with those who viewed the comments, and they were quick to share their views.
"Keep fighting. I spent a decade trying to get mine done. You will find the right doctor. It's just hell getting there," one person wrote.
A second added: "I'm 22 and child free, had mine tied 6 weeks ago, it took me 4 different doctors to finally find one to do the procedure, don't give up."
"[I] swear this country has a vendetta against women and their wants/needs," a third said, to which Olivia agreed.
Female sterilization is considered a permanent solution to prevent pregnancy by blocking the fallopian tubes. According to a 2012 survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 27 percent of American women of reproductive age use female sterilization as their form of birth control.
While there is no legal requirement for a woman to be of a certain age to have the procedure, some women have claimed their doctors tried to dissuade them from undergoing the procedure young, even if they are certain of their choice.
Perhaps it's time to let women have the final say over whether they want to have children or not.
