Increase in popularity of vasectomy according to latest US government stats
Posted by Mike Malone | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 08-07-2010-05-2008
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No formal data collection system exists in the USA to collect and collate the number of sterilizations performed annually. The current oft-quoted figure of 500,000 vasectomies performed per year is not an accurate count – it’s an extrapolation of various smaller studies and surveys. However, most people accept that it’s likely to be accurate. It equates to approximately 11% of the population relying on vasectomy as their primary method of birth control.
This new study was undertaken by the Department of health & Human Services. The data was collected in 2002, and the paper was published on November 18, 2005. Basically, it’s in the form of a telephone questionnaire, and there were a total of 174,026 men and women to men and women in all US states and dependencies participating in the study.
Men and women answered differently. Both men and women reported Tubal Ligation equally, men had higher percentages for vasectomy and condom use, and women had higher percentage for the pill, and lower percentage for vasectomy and condom use. The statistics below are a combination of the percentages for man and women by state.
Vasectomy was most used in Washington (25.9%), and least used in the US Virgin Islands (3.7%). Overall, the results for primary method of birth control were:-
Pill 28.3%
Tubal ligation 22.9%
Condom 17.3%
Vasectomy 16.1%
In light of these figures, the 500,000 / 11% figures are likely to be under-estimates. I have summarised the stats here.
