Dr. Vij and Dr. Bole discuss rise in vasectomy interest among younger men

In this video, Sarah Vij, MD, and Raevti Bole, MD, share the take-home messages from the International Journal of Impotence Research study, “Rising vasectomy volume following reversal of federal protections for abortion rights in the United States.” Vij is a urologist at Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, and Bole is a male infertility/andrology fellow at Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute at Cleveland Clinic.

Vij: Reproductive decisions are not just affecting women. In many ways, men can be sort of demonized in that discussion. I think these data suggest that men are also doing their part in many ways and that the decisions that we make at a political level regarding reproduction affect every single member of this population. That's 1 message. The other message is you may have younger childless men coming into your clinics [regarding] vasectomy. I have a take on that, and I'm sure Dr. Bole has a take on that. We all have our own takes based on our clinical knowledge and our background; it affects how you deliver care, and you need to be prepared to have those discussions, because I think we're going to see more and more of it.

Bole: Just to piggyback on what Dr. Vij said, I think that's such an important question—how should the general urologist or really anyone performing vasectomy approach this? People and patients are so much more informed now, and they're so engaged in their health. It's fantastic. I think their very intensely personal decision to take responsibility for their health and for the ways that they want their future to turn out and their families to look, I think that's a really commendable choice that people are making. As Dr. Vij said, it's important for us as physicians to recognize that and support it with the knowledge that we have.

This transcription was edited for clarity.