Source: Peter Dazeley / Getty
The overturning of Roe v. Wade isn’t just affecting women. Men are forced to make decisions about how to not cause unwanted pregnancies as well. According to the Washington Post, there has been an uptick in men requesting vasectomies since the overturning of the 1973 Supreme Court decision. Doug Stein, a Florida urologist dubbed the Vasectomy King, said he has received 12 to 18 daily requests for a vasectomy since the reversal. This is a significant spike from the four to five a day he received previously.
“It was very, very noticeable Friday, and then the number that came in over the weekend was huge and the number that is still coming in far exceeds what we have experienced in the past,” Stein said. “Many of the guys are saying that they have been thinking about a vasectomy for a while, and the Roe v. Wade decision was just that final factor that tipped them over the edge and made them submit the online registration.”
Men under 30 have been requesting a vasectomy more than before due to the Roe. v. Wade decision being overturned.
“I’d say at least 60 or 70 percent are mentioning the Supreme Court decision,” John Curington, who works with Stein, said. “And a few of them have such sophistication as young men that they actually are thinking about Justice Thomas and his opinion that contraception may fall next. And that’s shocking. That’s something that doesn’t enter into our conversations ever, until this week.”
Iowa urologist Esgar Guarín said he has seen a 200 to 250 percent in website traffic from people researching vasectomies. Philip Werthman, a Los Angeles urologist, said his practice has seen a 300 to 400 percent increase in vasectomy consultations.
A New York urologist named Marc Goldstein said vasectomy requests are on the rise, that hasn’t been his experience. He told the Post that he has had more inquires about vasectomy reversal procedures.
“Now it’s the other way around,” he said. “So it’s been a dramatic shift. And this [decision] is only going to further impact that in terms of increasing requests.”
States like Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota ,Arkansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas have abortion laws that took affect after the Roe reversal.
