As the youngest of two in my family, growing up, I always wished for a younger sibling. I was obsessed with my baby dolls; it seemed like a dream to have a real baby every day that I could help take care of. I begged my parents. I even put “a little sister” on my Christmas list. They always chuckled and said, “No, honey, our family is just right with you and your sister.” That didn’t stop my persistence, and finally, my parents had to sit me down and tell me that a younger sibling was literally not possible. I cocked my head, “what do you mean?” This was my first exposure to the word “vasectomy.” I remember feeling betrayed by my parents. My Dad underwent surgery so they could never have kids again without even asking me first, I thought to myself. I’m giggling to myself as I write this…of course, they did, Sage, that makes perfect sense. Why should my mom have to go back on birth control after having two kids? Being a mom is enough responsibility!
We often hear about vasectomies as something people do after they are done having kids, rather than a form of contraception. However, in reality, vasectomies are a form of male birth control in which the tubes that carry sperm and cut and sealed. The whole procedure usually takes around 20 minutes, and you can even bring a support person to be in the room with you, as well as headphones to listen to music during the procedure. If you type in “Vasectomy Playlist” on Spotify, you can find ones that others have already made! The patient will be given a local anesthetic and will have the option to take some medicine to help relax. And, the best part is that this procedure will not take away from your sexual satisfaction! After a vasectomy, you are still able to get an erection, make semen, and ejaculate—the semen just does not contain any sperm. Let’s flip through a brief history of the vasectomy to learn more together.
A Brief and Non-Comprehensive History
While research for the vasectomy results began on rats, dogs and guinea pigs, the first vasectomies performed on humans were a tool for eugenics. In 1899, Albert Oschner published a work entitled “Surgical Treatment for Habitual Criminals,” which advocated for sterilizing males in a way that “will in itself not be a punishment to the criminal, or interfere with his enjoyment of life should he reform and become a useful member of society,” says Oschner. Whether due to epilepsy, criminal behavior, or insanity, 6,000 vasectomies were performed between 1909 and 1924, without consent, as a means for sterilization. Later on, an Austrian endocrinologist claimed that a one-sided vasectomy would both stop producing sperm and reinvigorate the patient with more testosterone; however, this procedure was debunked in 1935. Three years later, the first successful vasectomy reversal occurred. In 1950, research on the vasectomy procedure was published, demonstrating reports of almost no change in sexual satisfaction and only one day or less of recovery. This research is seen to set the stage for the expansion of the vasectomy and the modern-day acceptance of it as a form of birth control.
Vasectomy Statistics
Looking at the United States as a sample size, about 500,000 or more men receive a vasectomy each year. That’s only .003% of men in the U.S. Apparently, there’s even considered a vasectomy season in the U.S.! During March Madness, “men schedule their vasectomies in conjunction with the N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament, so they can watch the games while recovering on the couch with a frozen bag of peas,” says Caron of the New York Times. At the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, appointments always reach max capacity during March Madness! I guess watching some ball while your own balls recover makes sense to some. Even so, the vasectomy numbers remain low. In fact, according to a 2015 estimate from the United Nations, female sterilization is twice as prevalent than vasectomies in the U.S. Dr. Anuj Khattar, a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health, says, “I think part of the fears around vasectomy is that it’s so permanent,” adding that some men worry about “losing some of their virility and their ability to enjoy sex.” But “physiologically, it doesn’t affect any of those functions,” he said. “There’s just a lot of misinformation.”
Vasectomies in Post-Roe
In our post-Roe world today, it seems like the numbers of, or at least interest in vasectomies is rising. For instance, according to data from Innerbody Research, there was an 850% increase in the search term “where can I get a vasectomy?” after Roe was overturned. Even Yale Medicine Urology says they have since seen “a sharp uptick in vasectomy consults,” and Doug Stein, a Florida urologist, notes that post-Roe, he is seeing more men under the age of 30, without kids, requesting vasectomies. Post-Roe, I have witnessed more discourse about vasectomies. It seems like the pendulum that is the conversation around contraception is inching ever so slightly toward the middle and people are wondering now more than ever, why is the decision to have kids put on one person when it takes two to tango?
If you are interested in learning more about vasectomies and how to start a conversation with your partner about it, here are two articles with advice and personal stories from women talking to their partners about vasectomies. Remember, there is so much misinformation about vasectomies out there, that it may take a few conversations and google searches for your partner to truly understand the procedure and its aftermath.
Written by Sage Reynolds.