A record number of men in their 20s are choosing to go under the knife to gain more control over family planning and to have unprotected sex.
A study published in the journal Urology looked at commercial health insurance claims data between 2014 and 2021 to calculate the annual rate of vasectomies in men between 18 and 64 years old.
Researchers from the University of Chicago found that the number of vasectomies in the United States increased by 26 percent in seven years.
The number of young men aged 18 to 24 opting for the procedure rose by 37 percent, they found, while the increase was greatest among men without children, with 61 percent getting a vasectomy.
They did find that the number of men undergoing vasectomies nationwide, of all ages, remained low overall: four percent.
But anecdotally, doctors are seeing an uptick. Dr. David Shusterman is a urologist and founder of NY Urology, a medical practice specializing in urology, the field of medicine that focuses on reproductive organs.
He told DailyMail.com that vasectomies have always been most popular among middle-aged men who already have children, the number of men in their 20s coming to his clinic for a vasectomy has ‘doubled’ in the past decade.
The map above shows the share of men who have had a vasectomy by state. The figures apply to men aged 18 to 64 and from the year 2021, the latest available figure. A vasectomy is a surgical procedure to sterilize a man, in which the tube that carries sperm from the testicles is cut in half and closed.
Many men choose vasectomy to give themselves ‘control’ over having children, doctors say, and because they want to have sex without using a condom (Stock image)
A vasectomy, which can cost a thousand dollars, is a surgical procedure to sterilize a man in which the vas deferens, the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles outside the body, are cut in half and sewn shut.
A man who has had the surgery can still ejaculate, but the ejaculate will no longer contain sperm, which is necessary to make someone pregnant.
A vasectomy is performed while patients are awake and under local anesthesia so that they feel no pain during the 30-minute operation.
Afterwards, patients may feel discomfort in the scrotum and genital area for up to two weeks, doctors say.
Data from the University of Chicago shows that in 2021, more than 150,000 men in their 20s and early 30s had a vasectomy, a surgical procedure that cuts the tube that carries sperm from the testicles.
This was an increase of more than 20,000 men in this age group compared to 2014.
From 2014 to 2021, the share of men aged 25 to 34 who underwent a vasectomy increased by 14 percent, while among men aged 18 to 24 it increased by 37 percent.
Dr. Shusterman said he now sees about five to six men in their early 20s for a vasectomy each year. In 2014, this figure was between just one and two.
When asked why the procedure is becoming increasingly popular, Dr. Shusterman said, “(The) main reason is that men want to have control over when they reproduce.
‘Number two is the fact that they prefer to have sex without a condom rather than with a condom.
‘And number three, there is less fear of sexually transmitted diseases because there are many effective treatments to cure them. So many more people are starting to realize that they can have unprotected sex in a reasonably safe way.’
He also suspects that fears of unwanted pregnancies have increased following the reversal of Roe v Wade, which overturned abortion protections in the US.
Estimates suggest that only a third of American men use a condom, but STD infections have reached new record highs for eight years in a row.
However, there are suggestions that men are being misled about the safety and ability to reverse the procedure.
They fear this means men will undergo surgery to prevent them from starting a family.
While it is possible to reverse a vasectomy, it becomes more difficult the longer the procedure goes on – and ten years later it is almost impossible.
The graph above shows how a record number of men aged 18 to 64 are now having a vasectomy
Dr. David Shusterman, a urologist in New York City, told DailyMail.com that he now sees about five to six men in their early 20s for vasectomies each year
This is because the tube that transports sperm can develop scar tissue, completely blocking sperm flow.
There is also a risk that the immune system will attack sperm in the testicles because they are no longer ejaculated, making a man infertile.
About 30 to 90 percent of vasectomy reversals are successful, the Mayo Clinic says, depending on how long ago the vasectomy was performed.
And men be warned: vasectomies are not an instant solution and they may have to wait two to four months before their ejaculate no longer contains sperm.
Keith Laue, a TikToker in Texas, revealed that he had a vasectomy at age 23 after deciding he didn’t want any more children
This is because there may still be sperm cells in the vas deferens after the operation that can be mixed into ejaculate.
Men who undergo a vasectomy are asked to return to the clinic two to four months after the procedure to have their sperm tested to ensure the procedure was a success.
Not only younger men are going under the knife, but they are also talking publicly about their decision.
Texas-based influencer Keith Laue has revealed that he had the procedure done at the age of 23.
He and his partner Taylor Ribar decided he should get one after they had their first child and agreed they didn’t want any more.
They said a driving factor was the risk of restrictions on abortions, which prompted the couple to take action.
Mr. Laue told it Health.com: ‘I’m not really worried about a healthy sex life now, and that’s a very nice feeling.
‘Here in Texas there is a mentality that if you don’t want to get pregnant, you shouldn’t have sex. That’s crazy to ask people to live like that.’