Vasectomies Are More Popular Than Ever But Here's Why They May Not Be A Good Solution For Pregnancy Prevention
In a viral post on X, a husband shared his delight in the welcome-home array of snacks that his wife left for him after his vasectomy. “No more kids for me,” he wrote. “My wife had the jokes when I got home from the doctor today.”
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She had laid out a variety of popular snacks, such as Oatmeal Creme Pies, Swedish Fish, Crunch Berries cereal, Milk Duds, and more. On each box, she wrote a joke on a sticky note about how her husband would be “shooting duds” and had to say “so long” to his “swimmers.” At the center of the picture was a cookie cake with a message written in icing: “Snip snip hooray.”
The post has more than 14 million views, and thousands of people commented on it, quoted it, and joked about it. Despite the disagreement over vasectomies, they have become a hot topic online, especially since the red pill/manosphere community claimed that vasectomies were a necessary part of a “high value man’s” life in order to avoid being tied down financially to a woman and children (due to a gynocentric system). More men than ever are agreeing that their best option is to get snipped. After all, stopping your bloodline is better than being forced to pay child support to a woman who doesn’t want to be with you anymore (at least, that’s what the red pill guys say). Are vasectomies truly a good option for pregnancy prevention, though?
A Vasectomy Procedure and Its Side Effects
A vasectomy is a surgical procedure that serves as a form of permanent contraception for men. It’s highly effective and is designed to prevent the release of sperm during ejaculation, thus preventing pregnancy. The procedure involves the cutting or blocking of the vas deferens, the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles to the urethra. Without access to these tubes, sperm cannot become part of the ejaculate. This means that when a man ejaculates, the fluid will not contain sperm, significantly reducing the chance of pregnancy.
Vasectomy is typically a quick and relatively straightforward outpatient procedure, meaning it doesn't require an overnight stay in a hospital. It can be performed under local anesthesia, which numbs the area around the scrotum. There are two main types of vasectomy: incision and no-scalpel. The incision method involves making small cuts in the scrotum to access the vas deferens. In the no-scalpel method, a small puncture is made instead of an incision, reducing healing time and the risk of complications. Once the vas deferens is accessed, it is either cut, tied, cauterized, or blocked. This disruption prevents sperm from traveling into the ejaculate. The small incision or puncture is then closed, often with dissolvable stitches.
After the procedure, it’s important to note that contraception is not immediate. Sperm may still be present in the semen for several ejaculations after the vasectomy. Therefore, it’s recommended to use another form of birth control (such as a condom) until a semen analysis confirms the absence of sperm, which generally takes a few months.
One of the pros of vasectomies is that it has fewer complications than a woman getting her tubes tied, which is known as tubal ligation. This involves blocking or severing the fallopian tubes, which carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. This interruption prevents the egg and sperm from meeting, thus preventing pregnancy. Tubal ligation is typically done under general anesthesia and can be performed in various ways, including laparoscopy, mini-laparotomy, or postpartum tubal ligation. Laparoscopy is the most common method, involving small incisions in the abdomen through which a laparoscope and surgical instruments are inserted to access the fallopian tubes. The tubes are then cut, tied, clamped, or sealed with rings or clips.
Tubal ligation is generally considered to be more dangerous and complicated than a vasectomy due to several factors related to the nature of the procedures and the differences in male and female reproductive anatomy. For one, tubal ligation is a more complex surgery. It involves accessing the fallopian tubes, which are located within the abdomen. This requires making incisions in the abdomen and often involves general anesthesia. In contrast, a vasectomy is less invasive, involving small incisions or punctures in the scrotum, and is usually performed under local anesthesia.
The use of general anesthesia in tubal ligation carries more risks compared to the local anesthesia used in vasectomies. General anesthesia has a higher risk of complications, especially in patients with certain pre-existing health conditions. Tubal ligation's more invasive approach also increases the risk of complications such as infection, bleeding, or damage to surrounding organs like the bladder or intestines. Vasectomy, being less invasive, typically has fewer complications and a shorter recovery time. This is why many women demand that men get vasectomies – because they have suffered for too long from hormonal birth control, tubal ligation, and even difficult pregnancy and birth.
Men may struggle with sexual performance, testosterone levels, and a general sense of uneasiness after their vasectomy.
However, a vasectomy comes with potential side effects and complications. Some men experience pain or discomfort in the scrotum and testicles immediately after the procedure, which typically subsides within a few days. Swelling and bruising of the scrotum are also common but usually resolve within a week. There's a small risk of infection at the site of the incision or puncture, which can be managed with antibiotics. A small, usually painless, lump may form due to sperm leakage from the cut vas deferens. Inflammation of the epididymis, a tube at the back of the testicles that stores and carries sperm, can also occur but is treatable.
Less common but more serious complications can include chronic scrotal pain that never really goes away, or spermatic cord damage, which is damage to the arteries or nerves in the spermatic cord. Rarely, the vas deferens can naturally reconnect, allowing sperm to enter the semen again. Although there is less risk and generally fewer side effects with a vasectomy than with tubal ligation, it’s inaccurate to claim that there are no consequences whatsoever to the procedure.
More and more men (and their wives) are coming forward to talk about the side effects of their vasectomies that they struggle with. Some literature suggests that men are more prone to prostate cancer after getting a vasectomy, but there are many men who simply say that they feel different after the procedure. They may struggle with sexual performance, testosterone levels, and a general sense of uneasiness. After all, any procedure (or even medication) that is done to alter your reproductive system is bound to have effects on the body, regardless of gender. If a woman struggles with such a wide array of consequences from a monthly birth control pill, it’s perfectly reasonable to assume that a procedure like a vasectomy is going to have some kind of effect on a man.
Why Are Vasectomies Becoming More Popular?
So why are vasectomies so popular all of a sudden? There are a few important things that factor in. In the week following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, there was a notable surge in men seeking vasectomies in various parts of the United States. The Cleveland Clinic in Ohio reported a significant increase in consultations and appointments for vasectomies, with 90 requests received in just a few days, compared to their usual few daily requests. Similarly, University Hospitals in Ohio observed a slight uptick in vasectomy inquiries. Doug Stein, a Florida urologist known as the "Vasectomy King," experienced a substantial increase in vasectomy inquiries, from an average of 4-5 to 12-18 daily requests post-Roe v. Wade decision. He noted that many men had considered the procedure before, but the Supreme Court decision was a decisive factor for them.
In Kansas City, Missouri, urologist Dr. Christian Hettinger reported a staggering 900% increase in vasectomy interest, with 50 calls in one weekend, a period that usually sees only a few calls. Similarly, in Austin, Texas, Dr. Koushik Shaw of the Austin Urology Institute witnessed a doubling of calls and a record number of vasectomy bookings, leading to an increase in schedule availability to meet the surge.
Both feminists and the red pill community push for vasectomies.
In the last couple years, the red pill/manosphere community has grown louder on social media as well, claiming that men need to shield themselves from the predatory legal system that forces men to pay child support to an ex-wife after they split up. Simultaneously, as our culture becomes more and more feminist, women are demanding that their husbands or boyfriends get a vasectomy in order to prevent unwanted pregnancy because they’re sick and tired of dealing with pregnancy and birth control, and the complications that can come with each.
"Enough, you horny little pigs in blankets," comedian Chelsea Handler demands in a video. "Do you know how painful it is to get an IUD placed? It feels like a mouse trap in your uterus, and sometimes those things don't even catch all the mice. And birth control? You think I want to be an adult woman with acne or have mood swings or get a period it feels like the Hoover Dam just broke? I don't."
"So man up, men! And if you can't do that, enjoy the company of your hands," she concludes. "Vasectomies. One snip, and that's it!"
Closing Thoughts
Men have more reason than ever to get the snip. But is it a good choice for them and their health? While there may be plenty of men who get a vasectomy and go on to live perfectly normal lives, there’s no denying that there are some side effects that come along with the procedure. And yet, we’re supposed to believe that it’s completely consequence-free for men and nothing more than a win for women. Every man should make the decision for himself, but we have to ask ourselves: Why are both men and women encouraged to take such drastic measures to their bodies and reproductive systems in order to prevent pregnancy when they could simply learn about a woman’s cycle and her fertile window each month?
We know the answer is strongly related to the money made off couples who go to the conventional medical system for help with pregnancy prevention. After all, a couple who learns how to track the woman’s cycle and confidently identify ovulation when it occurs in order to avoid pregnancy is not a couple that the system can make a lot of money from.
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