Vasectomy : Canada's newest family planning method

This is a report of a study of over 500 men who underwent vasectomy in London Ontario Canada between 1966 and 1970. They overwhelmingly exhibit satisfaction with the procedure. Over 95% said they would recommend the operation to any friend wanting to control his family size. The men are considered to be a bit above average in education for the general population. The median age was 36.4 years median family income was $8600 (1970). 75% were protestant 10% Catholic 10% no religion and 5% other religions. (The population of London is 20% Catholic.) In 1851-1861 the crude birth rate in Canada was 45 per 1000; in 1971 it was 17 per 1000. The average family size has decreased from 5 or 6 to 1 to 3 children since the turn of the century. It is estimated that 75% of families complete childbearing before the woman reaches 30 years of age. The number of vasectomies in Canada has increased in the past 5 years. It is estimated that 100000 men in Canada have had the operation most of them in the past 2 or 3 years. Compared to female sterilization the method is cheap with no known side effects and reliable. Wives who have used the pill prefer the operation. Personal recommendations and mass publicity have caused rapid acceptance. Cultural definitions of male and female sex roles also seem to have undergone changes in the 1960s and 1970s leading to greater acceptance. A few men have had unfavorable psychological reactions. Reversibility of the operation has been successful in about 50% of one series of cases reported elsewhere. Most of the men in this study had already attained the desired or greater family size and other birth control methods had previously failed with nearly 30%. Nearly 70% of husbands and wives reported increased sexual satisfaction with fear of pregnancy removed. However vasectomy is not a cure-all. In-depth discussions between husband and wife and consultation with the doctor are essential. Birth control is the only objective and other results are speculative. Increase in vasectomies is predicted.