Vasectomy Patients Find Decision Acceptable.

• Position: Brief Article

Most men seeking a vasectomy undergo sterilization without hesitation, although many of them are unaware that the procedure may be reversible. Moreover, few men arrive at the decision on their own. Typically, they have consulted with a wife, girlfriend, or partner before committing to the procedure.

These are some of the findings of a study by John S. Westefeld, a professor in the University of Iowa College of Education's Division of Psychology and Quantitative Foundations, Iowa City, and Jay Sandlow, an associate professor in the College of Medicine's Department of Urology.

The procedure, which can be performed on an outpatient basis using local anesthesia, is intended to interrupt the vas deferens---or sperm duct--so sperm can no longer exit during an ejaculation. Conventional vasectomy is performed through an incision made in the scrotum. The vas is then found, tied with sutures or blocked with permanent clips, cut, and cauterized.

Unlike previous research about the psychological impact of vasectomies--much dating from the 1960s and 1970s--the Westefeld and Sandlow study examines the thoughts and feelings of men leading up to the procedure. Of 74 vasectomy patients ages 22 to 62 in the University of Iowa Hospital's Male Fertility Clinic, 92% were white, 93% were married, and 91% had two or more children.

About 50% indicated that they had been thinking about having a vasectomy for a year or less before the procedure. Most explained that they underwent the procedure because they didn't want additional children and felt a...