Interest in new methods of "male contraception" in survey of people with a prior vasectomy in the United States.

BACKGROUND

Alternative contraceptive methods for sperm, often referred to as "male contraception" are in development. Given the lack of current contraceptive options for people who produce sperm, we sought to understand if people with vasectomies would have preferred an alternative contraceptive method, had one been available.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional online survey with 195 participants. Participants were recruited via an email list of 658 people who had received vasectomies from Planned Parenthood North Central States (PPNCS) since 2013 and were willing to be contacted for research purposes.

RESULTS

26.7% of participants reported that access to a different method of birth control for sperm that was highly effective, non-surgical, and fully reversible would have likely or very likely changed their decision to have a vasectomy (44.6% reported it was unlikely or very unlikely and 28.7% were neutral). Reasons for preferring alternative contraceptive methods included reversibility, the desire to avoid surgery, and the accessibility of alternative methods. Demographic findings include that 46.2% of people surveyed had no children at the time of their vasectomy and only 41% of participants were married at the time of their vasectomy. Previous literature has suggested most people undergoing vasectomies are married with children. Two main motivating factors in participants' decision to have a vasectomy were wanting to prevent future biological children and the preference of participants or their partners for vasectomy over other contraceptive methods.

CONCLUSIONS

Alternative contraceptive methods for sperm would likely or very likely be preferred by a significant proportion of people who have undergone a vasectomy.