Edit: I want to clarify, I hold neither stance as I don’t feel I have enough information on the subject. I’m just looking for viewpoints that I haven’t yet considered.
Original post is as follows:
I had this thought recently and I’d like some external opinions. For those who don’t know, a vasectomy is reversible.
For:
- Unwanted pregnancy is a huge issue for society and a worry for many people. Doing this would solve both problems entirely.
- Female birth control very often causes uncomfortable side effects for the woman, while a vasectomy is a one-and-done deal with a very small chance of failure or future complications.
Against:
- Doing this may violate bodily autonomy, as you are undergoing an optional medical procedure without your knowledge. The same argument can be made about how circumcision is treated in many parts of the world.
- Reversal is expensive and may not always work. A potential rebuttal of this is that if you are in the financial position of being able to raise a child, you will also have the necessary funds to reverse your vasectomy.
I would appreciate all opinions on this!
I also understand this can be a sensitive question, so please be civil in the comments.
The cons far outweigh the pros. You neglected to mention that we already have cheap, effective, and non-invasive birth control in the form of condoms. This is the nuclear option when what people really need is more sex education.
By the numbers, vasectomy reversals fail 15% of the time and cost up to $10,000. I can’t see it being practical on a population wide scale.
No but they shouldn’t make you wait till you’re 40 either, same with tying tubes
No. Absolutely not. As much as reducing the rate of unwanted pregnancy is important, bodily autonomy is paramount. Instead, there needs to be comprehensive sex education and effective birth control for men that isn’t as invasive as a vasectomy. That way, the burden of ensuring appropriate birth control—or its side effects—doesn’t always have to be on women.
Funnily enough, I just heard of a new birth control for men that isn’t on the market, at least yet… it’s cleverly called Plan A.
Edit: fixed the link
I’d also expect that complications regarding the effectiveness and reversibility of vasectomies at a young age would arise. This is a procedure that has been studied on an adult population for good reason.