Abortion – “It was something that I had put on the backburner in my mind until recently when the Supreme Court decision came down. It made me think, ‘Okay, I really don’t want kids. I’m going to do this vasectomy now’”, explains Thomas Figueroa, a 27-year-old American met by the washington post in the waiting room for a urology consultation.
In an article published on June 29, the American daily underlined, after having interviewed several urologists across the country, that clinics performing vasectomies were experiencing a peak in attendance since the cancellation of the Roe v. Wade, guarantor of the right to abortion in the United States since 1973.
At the beginning of May, already, the American media Today highlighted that daily Internet searches for vasectomies had increased by 99% since publication by Politico of the Supreme Court’s draft. Those for the question “How much does a vasectomy cost” by 250%.
Vasectomy is a method of male sterilization that involves cutting and blocking the vas deferens that carry sperm from the testicles. However, this operation does not prevent ejaculation, as we explained in this previous article.
An increase in consultations of up to 900%
Urologist in Florida, Doug Stein explains to the washington post receive, since the announcement of the Supreme Court’s decision, between 12 and 18 requests for vasectomy per day, against 4 to 5 previously. “Many of the men say they had been thinking about a vasectomy for some time, and the decision on Roe v. Wade was the triggering factor”, he underlines.
“I didn’t really notice any specific change when the original Supreme Court document leaked. But now, with the modification of Roe v. wade […] the demand is overwhelming, to the point where I’m considering coming on a Saturday and doing 10 or 12 vasectomies just to keep up with the demand,” Dr. David Robins, also based in Florida, told WPLGa subsidiary of the audiovisual group ABC.
In Los Angeles (California), the urologist Philipe Werthman reports to the washington post a “300 to 400%” increase in the number of vasectomy consultations he has performed. Interviewed by KHSBaffiliate NBCNewsthe urologist Christian Hettinger, who operates in Missouri, agrees: “Since Friday, the number of people wishing to have a vasectomy has increased by 900%”.
Growing demands across various states
Among states where vasectomy inquiries are on the rise, the media Newsweek listed, from the local press, Texas, Florida, Missouri, Ohio or Tennessee, very restrictive conservative states on the right to abortion.
The urologist Philipe Werthman nevertheless remarks in the washington post that the increase in requests for vasectomy also concerns California, whereas this State should continue to protect the right to abortion.
On social networks, several Americans have also revealed in recent days that they have performed a vasectomy, before sharing their experience. These testimonies nevertheless remain in the minority, the most viral posts on the subject being those calling on men to perform vasectomies, although this is “not the solution”, as the British version of the article reminds us. HuffPost.
“I recently had a vasectomy and I think more men should consider getting one.”
According to urologist Esgar Guarín, interviewed by the washington postvasectomy requests had already increased in the United States after the 2008 recession and at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, in 2020. “When something like this in the news happens, we have a spike.”
See also on The HuffPost: “Contraception is also the responsibility of men”
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