It’s not just women: from STD tests to vasectomies and screenings for male infertility, men are using Planned Parenthood services at a growing rate

HIV tests and more: what men stand to lose if Planned Parenthood is defunded

Planned Parenthood is currently at the heart of a bitter political debate, with its public funding on the line.



Cecile Richards, the organization’s president, testified in a congressional hearing on Tuesday and argued that defunding Planned Parenthood would leave many women – especially poor women living in rural areas – without access to essential healthcare services such as gynaecological exams. Abortion services represent just 3% of the services Planned Parenthood provides.

But it’s not just women who stand to lose from the shuttering of Planned Parenthood clinics around the country. Men do, too. Between 2003 and 2013, the organization saw a 99% increase in male clients.

Here are some of the other services Planned Parenthood provides for men:

STD screenings

According to Planned Parenthood, 23% of the services the organization provides for men are HIV tests, 30% are gonorrhea tests and 30% are chlamydia tests. Depending on the type of infection a person has, STD tests may include a patient undergoing a physical exam and giving a blood, urine or tissue sample.

Screenings for male infertility

Common causes of male infertility are related to low sperm count, slow moving sperm or problems with ejaculation. Infertility affects more than one in 10 couples, and one out of three times it is due to a problem with the man’s fertility. Diagnosing infertility can be a time consuming process and requires a man to give a semen sample, which will be tested for sperm count, sperm quickness, size, shape and appearance and the amount of seminal fluid. Once diagnosed, treatment options include surgery, medication and hormone treatments.

Vasectomies

Meant to be permanent, this form of birth control is nearly 100% effective, and the most effective birth control for men. During a vasectomy, the tubes that carry sperm are closed, preventing sperm from leaving a man’s body and causing pregnancy.

Cancer screenings

Planned Parenthood provides screenings for colon and prostate cancer along with testicular cancer, which is a concern for men between the ages of 20 and 34. Nearly 8,000 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer each year in the US, and about 400 men die from it each year.

Prostate cancer affects nearly one in six men and it is estimated that 28,000 men will die from it this year.

Exams, treatments and referrals for erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation

Erectile dysfunction, when men are unable to get or keep an erection, can be diagnosed and treated with oral medications such as viagra. Premature ejaculation, when ejaculation occurs sooner than a man or his partner would like during sex, is often caused by psychological issues such as depression, stress and guilt.

Treatments for jock itch

Jock itch, named because it is common in people who sweat a lot, like athletes, is a fungal infection that affects genitals, inner thighs and buttocks. Treatments for jock itch include anti-fungal ointments and lotions, or anti-fungal pills for severe cases.