Three Southern California fathers go to the doctor together in order to call attention to the low percentage of vasectomies in the United States. Share on Pinterest Getting a vasectomy isn’t something men usually think to do with some of their buddies. But that’s what three Southern California fathers did. Paul Diaz, Basilio Santangelo, and John Lambrechts went to the same doctor on the same day to have back-to-back-to-back vasectomies. The men have two children each. They said part of the reason for their decision was to take responsibility for their family planning after their wives had done the giving birth part. “I didn’t want my wife to have to go back on birth control because I know there’s a lot of issues with it. So then I thought I would take one for the team and I decided I would do it,” Lambrechts told Healthline. “My wife, Sabrina, already went through a lot giving birth,” added Santangelo, “and so I figured it’s an easier option for me to do this.” The trio also did the appointments together as a way to spotlight the low percentage of men in the United States who get vasectomies. “It’s not something to be ashamed of, and on the contrary, it’s you being responsible,” Diaz told Healthline. Read more: Get the facts on vasectomies »

Not part of U.S. culture A 2015 report by the United Nations showed that 1 in 10 men in the United States get vasectomies. That’s half the rate of men in Canada and the United Kingdom. The low percentage comes despite the fact vasectomies are a significantly easier medical operation than tubal ligation or other procedures that women go through. Vasectomies are an outpatient procedure and are performed at a doctor’s office under local anesthesia. The operation generally takes less than 30 minutes and the recovery time is usually a few days. Vasectomies also have a high success rate. Sterilization procedures for women, on the other hand, are usually performed at a hospital or surgical center. They’re invasive surgery that’s done under general anesthesia. The recovery is longer and usually requires an overnight stay after the operation. Dr. Jesse Mills, the urologist and director of the men’s clinic at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), who did the procedure on the three fathers, said it makes senses for men to be the ones to undergo the surgery. He said part of the reason men don’t get vasectomies in the United States is that the practice is much more engrained in other industrialized nations. “In other countries, it’s such a part of the norm,” Mills told Healthline. He noted that men in the United States don’t even go in for regular checkups. “This is part of a public health issue as well,” he said. “This is a huge part of how guys look at healthcare.” Read more: Will men ever embrace male birth control? »

Not a problem in Alaska Dr. John Cullen delivers babies in the coastal community of Valdez in eastern Alaska. He also performs vasectomies. He’s done hundreds of them in the past 25 years. Cullen told Healthline he wasn’t surprised by the low percentage of U.S. men getting vasectomies. But he said that’s not the case in the rugged town of Valdez. “It’s seems easier for men up here to do it,” said Cullen, who is a board member for the American Academy of Family Physicians. “They may not be as worried about their masculinity.” Another reason, Cullen says, is he makes birth control part of the discussion when parents come in to see him in the initial weeks after a child is born. “It’s a good environment to have the discussion,” he said. “It’s a teachable moment.” Cullen has also done outreach to the community to educate people about vasectomies. He even occasionally offers free vasectomies as part of events such as the Valentine’s Day Dance at Prince William Sound College. He tells men it’s an easy and effective form of birth control. “There’s not a lot of long-term consequences,” Cullen said. “It’s an ideal form of contraception.” The long-time physician also emphasizes to men the importance of doing their part. “I think it’s important for men to take responsibility for their own contraception. It’s part of being an adult,” Cullen said. “I don’t think it’s fair for women to have all the responsibility on this.” Especially considering how easy the procedure is for men compared with women. “For men not to step up to the plate is really fairly wimpy,” Cullen said. Read more: Which birth control method is right for you? »