(CMR) More men in the United States are seeking to get vasectomies as states move to ban or restrict abortions following the Supreme Court's ruling on Roe v. Wade.
According to CBS News, a urologist said he found out about the ruling through numerous phone calls coming into his clinic that day. Dr. Doug Stein, based in Florida, who calls patients who are under the age of 30 or do not have children to discuss whether they are 100% sure they want a vasectomy, told CBS he has been making those calls more often.
“We generally see about 12% in our practice, men who are child-free. And then we generally see about 12% of men who are under the age of 30. But the number of both, young and child-free, nearly doubled,” he said.
The two-doctor practice performs six vasectomies an hour most days, CBS reported. Dr. Stein said 50 percent of the calls are from women making the arrangements.
Thomas Figueroa (27) told CBS News he and his girlfriend do not want children, so he always thought about getting a vasectomy.
“I've always thought about this decision. The Supreme Court did push me to finally do it,” he said.
A vasectomy blocks sperm from entering semen and is an outpatient procedure that takes about 10 minutes. Recovery from the procedure takes about two days, unlike a female tubal ligation, which is much more invasive.
Figueroa said the procedure is also about easing the burden on women who have had their constitutional right to abortion taken away and those who feel birth control restrictions could come next.
“I feel for a lot of men, especially for myself, that this is a way where they're trying to protect their girlfriends or try and protect their partners. They're trying protect their future partners,” he said.
In Houston, Jordan Castro said he got a vasectomy last fall after the state of Texas passed a law banning abortion after about six weeks of fertilization.
“Really try to put yourself in women's shoes; men should try to take a little responsibility,” he said.
Dr. Stein said he tells his patients that while vasectomies are reversible, not all reversals are successful. This has not stopped the bookings, as his clinic is booked through August, which is as far in advance as it's ever been booked before.
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