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Vasectomies on the Rise - A Sign of the Times?
Filed under: Just For Dads, Sex
For some parents, making the decision to stop having kids is a tough one. It's a door that some just want to leave open ... just in case. But if there's one thing that a pessimistic economy makes simpler, it's that question: "Should we or shouldn't we?"Urologists are reporting an uptick in vasectomies the last few months, especially since stocks dropped in November. "They realize they don't have the financial security long-term with what's going on," urologist Dr. J. Stephen Jones told CNN. "Several of them have mentioned, 'We can't afford to have any more children in this economy.' My perception is that it's more of the concept of raising children in an uncertain economic future."
Losing jobs mean losing income, making it difficult to raise the family you already have. But it also means losing health insurance, another possible reason that dads are turning to vasectomies. "I can't count on my hands, in the last three months, the number of times someone has said they're about to lose their insurance and ask to squeeze them in," Dr. Bryan Kansas told CNN.
Even without insurance, a vasectomy is a cost-effective permanent birth control method. At $500 to $1000, it adds up to significantly less than other forms of contraception a person might use during their remaining childbearing years. Birth control pills run $20 to $50 a month -- or $12,000 over the course of 20 years. The average cost of condoms would vary by brand and frequency, of course, but at a box a month, a 20-year supply would cost about $2,800.
The drawback of a vasectomy, besides the pain and suffering (which my husband says I did not factor in to the above estimates), is that it's permanent. Reversals are expensive and have a 50 percent success rate. So parents who aren't 100 percent sure their family is complete might want to stick with a method that will leave them options when the economy finally rebounds.
Has the economy had an effect on your family planning?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
3-27-2009 @ 7:29PM
Amanda said...Ironically, my husband and I had decided the year our younger daughter was born that we were done having children (she's two now). We had several reasons, ranging from the impact of a third child on the environment (population-replacement numbers) to our finances being stretched to the hilt already, to the fact that a rougher pregnancy with my younger one (complete with two months straight of 24-hour-a-day morning sickness) made me less than enthusiastic about contemplating a third pregnancy.
Unfortunately, I ended up having to go on Medicaid to cover the costs of the prenatal care and delivery because my husband's insurance coverage wouldn't be having another enrollment period until the month before our daughter was born, and paying out of pocket until then wasn't an option! Fortunately, they covered family planning costs afterwards-with one hitch. If sterilization was what was wanted, I could be covered, but they wouldn't cover my husband getting a vasectomy (figure THAT one out!). So, I opted to get "spayed," and even though it meant laparoscopic surgery and general anaesthesia, it was well worth it! Not having to worry about birth control anymore is a wonderfully liberating thing! I can concentrate on enjoying our kids' growing up, and I don't have to worry about a birth control failure possibly resulting in an unplanned pregnancy we can't afford (to say nothing about the cost of birth control!). Two kids is plenty for us anyway.
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3-30-2009 @ 9:10PM
Katty said...My husband has agreed to have a vasectomy this summer. We are done having children, we have two happy healthy little ones and even though sometimes I am wistful, our tuition costs for private school bring me back to reality.
It also has to do with my husband not wanting me to continue to pump hormones into my body (via birth control). I think the increase also has to do with the 30/40 somethings generation that is out there now, I think there is a lot less macho-ness and less of that idea that you need to be untouched to be a man.
My husband said he knew he was getting old when he went to visit friends and they sat around and compared notes on vasectomies :-)
3-28-2009 @ 9:08PM
jasileet said...Pain and suffering my ass... Do we really want to compare a 5 minute office procedure with 10 months of carrying and birthing a child. My brilliant husband saw 2 children come out of my hoo and proudly declared that he would be happy to take care of our family planning from now on as it was the absolute least he could do after I birthed him 2 beautiful children. Why aren't more men as wise?
With the actual pain, suffering and complications of tubal ligations, side effects of birth control pills, discomfort and chaffing of condoms... Why aren't more men considering this?
Literally 5 minute procedure, $40 with health care and very minimal discomfort (per husband that cannot sit through a tooth cleaning without crying). C'mon men... be men! Protect your women and family's future.
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3-31-2009 @ 4:36AM
Anne said...This is a good thing.vasectomy reversal operations are a viable option and should be considered. Make sure you consider the top three factors for your success before you have the procedure performed.
http://www.000health.com
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