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Bringing men to the table: sterilization can be for him or for her
Grace Shih1, Ying Zhang, Kyle Bukowski
1*Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington †Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, University of California, Los Angeles, California.
Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology
|October 15, 2014
Summary
Male sterilization (vasectomy) is a highly effective, cost-efficient, and safe contraception method. Despite benefits, female sterilization is more common due to vasectomy knowledge gaps and access barriers.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Contraception
- Urology
Background:
- Combined male and female sterilization is the most frequent form of contraception in the United States.
- Vasectomy, a form of male sterilization, offers lower risk, superior cost-efficacy, and high efficacy compared to female sterilization.
- Despite its advantages, vasectomy is less commonly used than female sterilization in the US.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of male and female sterilization procedures.
- To explore the barriers contributing to the low uptake of vasectomy.
- To suggest strategies for obstetrician-gynecologists to promote vasectomy adoption.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on sterilization methods and vasectomy barriers.
- Analysis of factors influencing patient and provider choices in contraception.
- Discussion of potential interventions for increasing vasectomy utilization.
Main Results:
- Key barriers to vasectomy include lack of public knowledge, misconceptions, limited access, provider bias, and patient preferences.
- Female sterilization remains more prevalent despite vasectomy's documented advantages.
- Obstetrician-gynecologists can play a role in increasing vasectomy uptake.
Conclusions:
- Addressing knowledge deficits and improving access are crucial for increasing vasectomy rates.
- Provider education and proactive recommendation of vasectomy are essential.
- Encouraging vasectomy for couples seeking permanent contraception can improve outcomes.