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Tubal Sterilization, Vasectomy Visits on the Rise After Dobbs Decision

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Jan 8, 2025.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2025 -- There was an increase in tubal sterilization and vasectomy visits among young adults aged 19 to 26 years after leakage of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization opinion in May 2022, according to a study published in the January issue of Health Affairs.

Julia Strasser, Dr. P.H., M.P.H., from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and colleagues conducted a mixed-methods study to examine young adults use of and perceptions regarding tubal sterilization and vasectomy after the leaked Dobbs decision in May 2022. Difference-in-differences analyses of tubal sterilization and vasectomies were conducted by age and state policy using national-level medical claims data.

The researchers found that after May 2022, there was an increase in tubal sterilization and vasectomy visits among participants ages 19 to 26 years. In states deemed likely to ban abortion, significant increases in tubal sterilization and vasectomy visits were found in difference-in-differences analyses. Open-text survey responses from national MyVoice surveys conducted in 2022 and 2023 indicated fear of loss of body autonomy and changes to pregnancy plans after Dobbs.

"The Dobbs decision continues to create ripple effects throughout reproductive health, including, as our study shows, a likely shift in young adults' contraceptive decision-making," the authors write. "Young adults continue to face challenges to their bodily autonomy, whether they feel pressured to seek permanent contraception because of abortion policy restrictions or whether they desire permanent contraception but face barriers to obtaining it."

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted January 2025

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