Economic Downturn Contributing To Increase In Vasectomies, Urologists, Clinics Say

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Men's health;  Public Health;  Urology / Nephrology
Article Date: 15 Apr 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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The New York Times on Saturday examined how the current economic recession is contributing to a recent rise in vasectomies. According to the Times, it is "too early to proclaim a bona fide trend in elective sterilization, because no organization regularly tracks the number of vasectomies performed on an annual or even a monthly basis." According to a 2006 study published in the Journal of Urology, about 527,000 vasectomies are performed annually in the U.S.

However, the "recent anecdotal data, if they hold, would have a historical parallel in the Great Depression, when the birth rate fell sharply," the Times reports. Excluding college costs, a child born in 2006 will cost middle-income parents $260,000 by the time the child reaches age 17, according to USDA.

The Times highlighted three clinics and physicians' offices that have noticed a recent increase in vasectomies. At one Planned Parenthood affiliate serving California's San Diego and Riverside Counties, requests for vasectomies increased by 30% to 64 procedures in the first three months of 2009. Spokesperson Vince Hall said, "The recession has created a new level of urgency among our clients," adding, "We used to have a three- to six-week waiting period. Now men have to wait two-and-a-half months to get an appointment." Hall added that a possible contributing factor to the increase is that unemployed men often qualify for no-cost vasectomies under California's Family Planning, Access, Care and Treatment Program.

Marc Goldstein, director of reproductive medicine and microsurgery at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, said that over the past five months, he has performed more vasectomies than usual. From January 2008 through October 2008, he was performing about six vasectomies monthly; however, since November 2008, he has been performing an average of nine procedures monthly. Goldstein said, "I've been in practice for 30 years, and I've never seen a spike like this," adding, "Many of my clients work in finance and say they feel anxious about the expense of an added child."

Charles Wilson of the Vasectomy Clinic in Seattle said that he has performed 123 vasectomies monthly on average, a 13% increase over his 2008 average. He said, "Some come in because they are out of work and have more time on their hands to take care of medical issues," adding, "Others are afraid of losing their job and want to get their vasectomy done before they lose their health insurance." In addition, Web traffic to Vasectomy.com increased by 17.5% in the first three months of 2009, compared with the first quarter of 2008. Vasectomies -- which cut or seal the vas deferens, the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles -- usually cost between $500 to $1,000 and normally are covered by insurance (Alderman [1], New York Times, 4/11).

The Times on Saturday also examined birth control options for women, including tubal ligation, which is more popular than vasectomy, even though it's more complicated and costly. Another option is Mirena, an intrauterine device that delivers a steady dose of the contraceptive levonorgestrel for up to five years; and oral contraceptives, which can cost as little as $9 per month for generic brands (Alderman [2], New York Times, 4/11).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

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