Vasectomies, tubal ligations rise after Supreme Court actions

Editor's Note

New research highlights sharp, nationwide increases in both male and female sterilization procedures since the Supreme Court overturned landmark decision Roe vs. Wade in 2022.

Published in JAMA Health Forum, the research on how many 18- to 30-year-olds were getting sterilized before and after the ruling was the subject of an extensive June 27 article in KFF Health News. According to that article, tubal ligations doubled and vasectomies tripled from June 2022 to September 2023. Despite this rise, women still undergo sterilization more frequently than men. Tubal ligations continue to increase, while vasectomies have plateaued at a higher rate.

Although rates had already been rising, KFF notes that The Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization had a clear impact, particularly in states like Montana where abortion rights are uncertain. Multiple physicians in that state reported an uptick in sterilization requests from women of all ages.

The report also covers the patient-centered approach advocated by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), as well as a generational divide that persists among providers of such care.