Vasectomies remain safe and cost effective, Wake Med doctor says

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Through anecdotes from those in his practice, Ajaydeep Sidhu, a urologist at Wake Med said they have recently witnessed a significant increase in vasectomies, though no hard data is available.

While Sidhu says it could be speculation, one potential reason for the possible increase could be recent Supreme Court decisions.

"It would all be speculation, but a lot of folks certainly have concerns regarding some of the Supreme Court decisions," Sidhu said. "A lot of people have been thinking about it for a long time and have decided that now they wanted to proceed. So a lot of people are coming also just to learn more information about what the procedure entails and what to expect."

According to Sidhu, vasectomies are a safe and common procedure with low risks for complications. Additionally, he said the procedure can be conducted in a doctor's office with local anesthesia and typically only fails in 1 in every 2000 procedures.

"It remains probably the most effective as well as the most cost-effective form of permanent contraception," Sidhu said.

Vasectomies also pose less risks, remain less invasive and cost less than other forms of permanent contraception like tubal ligation, which requires general anesthesia, Sidhu said.

Though Sidhu said vasectomies can be reversed, it is planned to be a permanent procedure, and he encourages individuals and couples to be aware of this detail.