Digital creator Carey Priscilla is creating a buzz on social media after asking her husband Benito to get a vasectomy, as she is done having children.
The mother of three said; “I’m done having kids until he gets a vasectomy. I’ve had three babies back-to-back, and I need some time off. Since women go through pregnancy, it’s only fair for men to take on the responsibility of a vasectomy to help with family planning!”
In his response, Benito asked fans to recommend a medical facility to undergo the procedure. “My wife is joking. Can anyone suggest a good hospital for a vasectomy? It’s a dry spell over here.”
The vasectomy topic created a discourse around birth control and begs the question of why the responsibility is feminised. It takes two people to conceive a child, and all of that responsibility shouldn’t be put on one of those two people.
What is a vasectomy?
Vasectomy is a relatively uncommon form of birth control. Vasectomy is widely regarded as the safest form of birth control and it is a less invasive procedure than tubal ligation. Vasectomies are usually performed in an outpatient setting, complications are rare, and doctors expect most patients to feel well enough to return to work within one to three days.
During a vasectomy, doctors cut or block the vas deferens, one of two tubes in the scrotum that carries sperm from the testes to the urethra, in two places. Once the doctor cuts the vas deferens, sperm is unable to leave the testicles and is absorbed back into the body. In comparison, during a tubal ligation a doctor cuts and ties (or blocks) the fallopian tubes. Because it involves making an incision into the abdomen, tubal ligations carry a slightly higher risk of complications than vasectomies, including injuries to other organs including the bladder and the bowel. Both vasectomy and tubal ligation should be considered permanent (though there are procedures to reverse some, but not all, sterilizations).
Vasectomy is also more effective as a birth control method than female sterilization. The procedure, from local anaesthesia to walking out the door, takes about 30 minutes.
In relationships where both partners are certain they don’t want children, exploring options like a vasectomy can be a responsible choice. Traditionally, contraception has been seen as the responsibility of the person with a uterus, but male sterilization is safer and more effective than female sterilization, yet far less common. Choosing birth control is personal and may take trial and error, but encouraging shared responsibility in contraception—where men also participate in long-term planning—can help challenge gendered reproductive roles and reduce inequality. It’s time to normalize vasectomy as a viable, responsible option for men.
