The fallout from President-elect Donald Trump’s victory continues to take unexpected and extreme turns, with reports of women opting for sterilization procedures as a response to his win in the 2024 election. According to Newsweek, some women see these elective surgeries as a form of self-protection against a political environment they fear will strip away their reproductive rights and endanger their autonomy.

Several women interviewed cited Trump’s policies and rhetoric—along with the reversal of Roe v. Wade and the rise of pro-life laws—as catalysts for their decisions. Lydia Echols, a 28-year-old from Texas, characterized her sterilization as an act of prudence and resistance. “If I am to be denied any rights in the next four (or more) years, I will not give them up without a fight,” she told Newsweek, expressing her belief that Trump’s presidency would empower Christian nationalist agendas.

Others shared similar sentiments. A 39-year-old Washington state resident underwent a bilateral salpingectomy—a procedure removing the fallopian tubes—not because she wanted to, but because she felt compelled to protect herself.

She cited fears of limited access to contraception, the potential consequences of sexual assault, and a political climate she perceives as hostile to women’s rights. Her husband’s vasectomy, completed in 2021, wasn’t enough to alleviate her concerns.

For 24-year-old Morgan Wood of Georgia, the reversal of Roe v. Wade and living in the South—where she feels access to reproductive healthcare is already limited—prompted her to schedule a sterilization consultation. Similar concerns motivated others, such as Kentucky resident Ashley Hedden and Florida’s Eden Ixora, both of whom cited fears about pregnancy resulting from sexual assault.

The trend toward sterilization comes alongside other forms of protest. Some women have initiated a “sex strike,” while others are stockpiling abortion pills. These responses reflect a broader panic among liberal women who view Trump’s presidency and a conservative Supreme Court as existential threats to their reproductive freedom.

While their concerns may resonate with some, the extreme measures these women are taking reveal a deep distrust of the political system and an equally profound misunderstanding of current laws.

For instance, most states with pro-life legislation provide exceptions for rape and the mother’s health, a fact often omitted in these discussions. The women’s fears about being denied medical care in life-threatening situations also conflict with existing legal frameworks, which require physicians to prioritize the mother’s health.

This wave of elective sterilizations speaks to the pervasive culture of fear and misinformation that has taken hold in some circles. These decisions—permanent and life-altering—are being driven by worst-case political hypotheticals, amplified by online rhetoric and partisan media. While everyone has the right to make personal health decisions, framing irreversible medical procedures as a necessary response to speculative political outcomes reflects a troubling blend of hysteria and misinformation.