Vasectomies Are Becoming Popular in a Post-Roe World

The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022 , leaving laws about abortion up to individual states.

Studies show that Americans ’ interest in permanent contraception spiked in the months after Dobbs .

More and more people have been seeking permanent sterilization in the wake of the decision.

The rate is higher across the board, but the increase is especially sharp among men.

Among those under age 30 , tubal sterilization rates increased by 59 percent .

Vasectomies among young men also increased post-Dobbs.

Young adults are more likely to have an abortion and to experience sterilization regret, a study says.

The study can only show correlation, not the cause of the rise, a researcher says.

And the Dobbs decision will exacerbate existing inequities, Ellison says. She adds that she has heard this trend referred to as “legislative coercion” because people are undergoing a permanent, invasive procedure they might not otherwise have undergone. “People are afraid and anxious about restricted access to abortion and contraception down the road,” Ellison says. “People shouldn’t feel pressured to undergo this procedure because of a Supreme Court decision or the legislative environment.”.