Austin urology clinic reports increased vasectomies as result of Heartbeat Act
About a half-million vasectomies are performed in the United States every year. Doctors say that number may be increasing in Texas following the passage of the state’s Heartbeat Act which outlaws most abortions after six weeks and allows people to sue anyone who treats or assists someone seeking the procedure after that deadline. (File photo: CBS Austin)
AUSTIN, Texas — About a half-million vasectomies are performed in the United States every year. Doctors say that number may be increasing in Texas following the passage of the state’s Heartbeat Act which outlaws most abortions after six weeks and allows people to sue anyone who treats or assists someone seeking the procedure after that deadline.
"It’s already difficult enough to get an abortion in Texas. This will make it even that much harder,” Diana Gomez with Progress Texas told CBS Austin on September 1.
Groups like Progress Texas have long warned the law disproportionately impacts people of color and puts their health and financial stability at risk.
Now an Austin doctor is noticing other impacts, too. Dr. Koushik Shaw at the Austin Urology Institute says this month the practice has seen about a 15 percent increase in scheduled vasectomy procedures--- and for the first time, patients are citing a state law as their motivating factor.
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“As a result of recent legislation, a new topic that has come up is that 'Hey, I'm actually here because some of these changes that Abbott and our legislature have passed have really impacted our decision-making in terms of family planning,’ so that was a new one for me that's really kind of risen over the last several weeks,” explains Shaw.
He says most of these patients either know they don’t want children or know they don’t want any more children. Others say their wives have experienced life-threatening pregnancy complications that the couple doesn’t want to risk happening again.
“So, it's really prompted that category of people to say, ‘Hey, it’s time we formalize our birth control planning,’ and many people are opting to have a vasectomy done,” Shaw adds.
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While vasectomies are technically reversible, Dr. Shaw says they should be done with the intention of being permanent. Many health insurance plans cover the procedure and it’s more than 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.