Reports of illegal sterilization of Romani women in eastern Slovakia have led to a push to modernize 30 year-old legislation on sterilization. A doctor from the Slovakian Health Ministry has been visiting hospitals and claims to have found no violations of medical ethics, but says he wants to ensure that informed consent is obtained from women, and that they have at least three days to think about undergoing such a procedure. The Center for Reproductive Rights in New York has accused Slovakian doctors of using Caesarian section and outdated methods on Romani women, charges that Slovakian authorities deny.
