Abstract

PIP: Researchers interviewed 31 men who had undergone vasectomies, 30 of their partners, and conducted focus groups with African American and Hispanic men in a study of the way clients and their partners choose vasectomy as their method of contraception. Research was also conducted in Bangladesh, Kenya, Mexico, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka. Reasons voiced for choosing vasectomy included couples being happy with the number of children already born, concern over the cost of raising more children, feeling too old to bear more children, the belief that the man should do his part in the partnership to prevent unwanted conception, and the simplicity of vasectomy compared to tubal occlusion. Almost all of the couples decided upon vasectomy during or immediately after a pregnancy. Cost considerations frequently determined the choice of provider and some men reported experiencing several days of minor discomfort. No man, however, expressed regret or reservation about undergoing the procedure. Most men in both focus groups reported never having considered vasectomy and did not envision doing so in the future. However, after having been provided facts about vasectomy, some African-American men said that they may consider vasectomy as an option in the future. The researchers found prenatal and postpartum programs, well-baby clinics, and gynecologists', pediatricians', and family physicians' offices to be important locations in which to provide information about vasectomy. They recommend that counseling and promotional materials on vasectomy focus upon the positive aspects of vasectomy and address men's fears, women's concerns, and cultural issues surrounding vasectomy.