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.
I had no idea they were so expensive! This is rather eye-opening, and it definitely gives new perspective to some of the points I made. Thank you for the insight.
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.
Just to add to the conversation, complications from a vasectomy can be debilitating and life changing. While the likelihood of complications is low, it is far from zero. Conditions like chronic post-vasectomy pain syndrome, infections, or sperm granulomas can cause persistent discomfort and interfere with daily activities, impacting one’s overall quality of life. The costs associated with treating these complications, including medical bills and potential loss of income, can be substantial. Furthermore, it’s important to consider that even if the initial vasectomy proceeds without issues, complications and failures can still arise during the reversal process. I have had a half dozen friends opt for this surgery later in life, one (that spoke openly of it) experienced life altering complications due to chronic and severe pain.
The chance of successful vasectomy reversing goes down by like 10% every year (I made that 10% up) but they do go down and I wouldn’t count on it being a guarantee. Also sperm production may be affected or reduced even if you can get it reversed.
If you’re really sure you don’t want kids then sure but I wouldn’t risk it otherwise.
Condoms are a much better solution.
The final solution for poverty…
I can see how you might reach that conclusion, but consider this: do you feel it is correct to bring a life into the world knowing that you can’t afford to provide for them? To me, that’s placing an unnecessary burden on both your family and society.
Though with that being said, someone else mentioned that reversals are ~$10,000, which is obscenely expensive and way more than I thought it would be, so the current cost of them does make it seem like I’m saying “only the rich should have children”, even when I’m not.
I don’t have any issues at all with the logic or reasoning, my objection is on the grounds of ethics…
Take the one child policy. The exemptions china implemented were for farmers and minorities, but what if they had, instead, applied your reasoning… Let’s say once a couple had a viable child, any pregnancies required a state mandated abortion. However, for $10k, a couple could buy a permit exempting them from that abortion. Your reasoning supports this, but ethically, is this not sounding awfully dark?
You’re talking about bodily autonomy, and your reasoning is suggesting that it should be denied by default, but subject to purchase… Preserved for those wealthy enough to meet a certain standard…
It’s logical, but it ain’t ethical.
OP is in the process of “discovering” eugenics. Good times.
… because men are the sole cause of unwanted pregnancies, and women get uncomfortable? Uh …
I don’t agree with OP’s premise either, but it’s ignorant and harmful to minimize the side effects of birth control; they can be seriously debilitating.
I wouldn’t say I agree with OP but your argument is pretty reductive too. In a world where the only two birth control options are the woman’s pill and the man’s vasectomy, the latter is probably the best choice. We’ve just been conditioned to think that it’s normal for women to deal with all the problems associated with the pill.
But of course we live in a world with other even less invasive options, so it’s all moot anyways.
