Planned Parenthood Great Northwest confirms vasectomies have skyrocketed since Dobbs decision: ‘Act of love’
'They are coming in because of the Dobbs decision' reversing Roe v. Wade, a doctor in Washington says of her vasectomy patients
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Planned Parenthood is reporting a spike in men receiving vasectomies following the U.S. Supreme Court effectively ending the recognition of abortion as a constitutional right six months ago.
"Our vasectomy volume has gone up quite a bit," director of vasectomy services with Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Dr. Grace Shih, told KIRO 7 News.
Planned Parenthood Northwest said there has been a 34% increase in vasectomies since the Supreme Court’s ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization on June 24 when compared to last year. Planned Parenthood Northwest oversees clinics in Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Idaho, Indiana and Kentucky.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Men are interested in learning about contraception and learning about a vasectomy. I think the change in our political climate brought ideas and motivations that were there but to the surface," Shih said.
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Abortion-rights supporters promoting their position at the Kentucky Capitol. (AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner, File)
Following the Supreme Court’s decision, doctors across the country reported massive increases in men seeking to get a vasectomy, with many arguing they did not want to risk an unplanned pregnancy and being denied an abortion.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Typically, it’s about three phone calls over a weekend," Kansas City Urology Care’s Dr. Christian Hettinger told Fox 17 of a single clinic’s calls for vasectomy consults back in June. "Over this past weekend, it was 50 calls looking for vasectomies."
Volunteer clinic escort poses for a portrait outside a Planned Parenthood location in Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 12, 2021. (REUTERS/Gaelen Morse)
Overall, Hettinger said calls about the sterilization procedure increased by about 900% over the course of less than a week.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Another doctor in Florida, known as the "Vasectomy King," reported more of the same. His office went from receiving four or five vasectomy requests per day to 12 to 18 per day.
"They are volunteering to me. They are coming in because of the Dobbs decision," Shih said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She added that one patient described the procedure as "an act of love."
"Pregnancy requires two people, and it's not fair that the burden falls on one person because they're the ones that can get pregnant," a man in Washington identified as Evan told the outlet. He received a vasectomy over the summer.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Activists hold up a "SHUT DOWN SCOTUS" sign near the Supreme Court during a protest in June. (Fox News Digital/Lisa Bennatan)
Grace said the procedure is 99.8% effective and comes at no cost to patients in Washington state.
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The surge in vasectomies has spurred other Planned Parenthood clinics to make the procedure free of cost to patients, including in Missouri in October.