- Record Number of American Men Opt for Vasectomies
- Factors Influencing the Increase
- Geographical and Demographic Trends in Vasectomies
An annual record number of American males are undergoing vasectomies, according to a study.
Researchers from the University of Chicago examined annual insurance claims from 57 million individuals and discovered that the number of procedures performed annually increased by 26% between 2014 and 2021.
The vessels that transport sperm from the testicles are either severed or sealed off during vasectomies, a surgical procedure that sterilizes men.
Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, abortion access has diminished, and some doctors believe that vasectomies are likely to become even more prevalent.
Planned Parenthood has begun providing complimentary vasectomies to young men without health insurance.
In 2021, the percentage of males aged 18 to 64 undergoing vasectomies reached a new high of 0.54 percent, according to research.
This surpassed the previous record of 0.52 percent, established in 2018.
Men with two or more children or a wife older than 34 were most likely to undergo the procedure, according to their findings.
Geographically speaking, those in the North Central region, which included Iowa, the Dakotas, and Missouri, were most likely to receive the opportunity.
Unrelated to the study, Mount Sinai physician Monica Dragoman told UPI: ‘The factors are very personal and multifaceted.
However, motivations may include concern for their partner and dread of having unwanted children.
Since Roe v. Wade, abortion access may be further driving up rates, with 22 states restricting the procedure and 15 outlawing it entirely.
For the study, researchers examined vasectomies reported in the insurance claims database Merative MarketScan Commercial Database, which contains information on up to 57 million Americans.
They examined only males aged 18 to 64 who underwent the procedure between 2014 and 2021.
Males with two or more spouses, undetermined marital status, or multiple spouses were removed.
The researchers then performed an analysis to compute a proportion based on the number of men in the database divided by the number of men who had a vasectomy; this proportion, they concluded, reflected the national proportion of men undergoing vasectomies.
During these seven years, a total of 325,910 vasectomies were performed.
Vasectomy rates rose 26% from 0.42 percent in 2014 to 0.54 percent in 2021, the highest ever.
Those between the ages of 35 and 44 were also the most likely to undergo the procedure.
Doctors believe this is because men at this age think they have enough children and don’t want more.
During the study period, the proportion of fatherless males increased by 61 percent.
It was followed by those with wives over 34 (41%), singles (40%) and 18–24-year-olds (37%).
Doctors speculated that increased accessibility of the procedure may have contributed to the increase.
According to them, it takes approximately 10 minutes and can be performed under local anesthesia with minimal patient discomfort.
Doctors are more likely to make surgery easier since the American Urological Association advocated it in December 2012.
