Florida Men Rush to Get a Vasectomy After Roe Vs. Wade Overturn

A famous urologist from Florida has observed that more men are rushing to get a vasectomy after the overturn of Roe vs. Wade on June 24.

Dr. Doug Stein, who has earned his reputation as Florida's Vasectomy King, said his clinic had 18 requests per day since the overturn, compared to just five or fewer weeks ago.

Speaking with The Washington Post, Stein said that he had not experienced this surge in vasectomy requests before, but he is aware that many men from Florida have been considering getting the procedure for some time. The decision on Roe vs. Wade was the deciding factor.

The urologist said his clinic has bookings until August, but he is opening more slots to accommodate the demand.

Stein's fellow urologist, Dr. John Curington, also said that his clinic is accommodating more vasectomy requests than normal, even for men under 30 years old. About 60 to 70 percent of his patients have told him that the Supreme Court's decision on the abortion ban factored into their choice, considering Florida's lawmakers are proposing to impose a 15-week limit on abortions. The decision has been stalled in the state court, but that could change in a matter of weeks because of the reversal.

Read Also: Houston Doctor Gave 4-Year-Old 'Unintended' Vasectomy During Hernia Surgery 

Texas, Ohio, and Missouri also see vasectomy increases 

Dr. Koushik Shaw from the Austin Urology Institute said they received 70 vasectomy requests in just one hour after the Supreme Court's decision was released. Their bookings have been at record numbers in the past few days, so they had to open additional schedules.

A representative of the Cleveland Clinic told NBC News that their vasectomy requests after the overturn ballooned to 90 in a day. Their normal requests are three to four a day. Ohio University Hospitals also report an increase in inquiries and requests, but appointments remain the same so far.

Dr. Christian Hettinger of Kansas City, Missouri, said that his clinic had handled 900 percent of calls about vasectomy. They usually receive less than three inquiries a day.

According to the National Library of Medicine, about 500,000 vasectomies are performed annually on U.S. patients. These are mostly for married men above 35 years old who have at least two kids and do not want to have more children.

However, vasectomy as a form of birth control applies to six percent of cases compared to 18 percent of women who undergo tubal ligation. The latter is a riskier and more invasive procedure than vasectomy.

Vasectomy for the right reasons

Meanwhile, urologist Dr. Ashley Winter said via Time that she loves that vasectomy is going viral but not for the reasons that have prompted it. She said that a vasectomy is a great option for married couples and even individuals who have resolved to be childless, but it should not be viewed as the answer to the abortion ban.

The doctor said that she's wary of spreading misinformation that will encourage men to get the procedure for the wrong reasons. Her advice is to consider vasectomy like marriage in that the men have to carefully plan for it with the notion that it will be lifelong and permanent.

Hettinger agreed that vasectomy is not right for every man, so they must screen patients carefully. He said that men who plan to get the procedure, especially if they are still young, must understand that it is generally not reversible.

"It should be viewed as a permanent form of sterilization," Hettinger said.

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