Baby, American men have made great strides in the last few years. They spend more time with children than ever before. They want equal marriages and a better balance between work and family. About two-thirds of married fathers have their wife work outside the home and contribute to the family's income. Four in ten of these men have wives who earn more than them. Why is it that women do so much of the work in family planning and men do so little? It's not just women who get vasectomies, but men in America.Contraception gaps are one of the most persistent and striking gender inequalities. Nearly 100% of American women have taken steps to avoid pregnancy at one time or another. However, the majority of women are left to bear that burden. One in 10 women who used condoms did not use contraceptive methods that require men to act. Only about 10% of married men or couples have undergone a vasectomy. The rate for single men is much lower.It is difficult to understand why. Vasectomy is usually covered by insurance so cost is not the main factor. Vasectomies are extremely safe and there is no risk. Vasectomy is a quick and painless outpatient procedure. The recovery is so quick that urologists consider March to be vasectomy month. Men schedule their procedures to coincide March Madness so they can watch basketball on the couch while consuming frozen peas.Vasectomy is the best, most efficient and safest method of contraception for men who are not interested in having children. It is also easier to reverse than tubal-ligation. This gives men greater control over their fertility. It also gives women with male partners the opportunity to share more in the planning of their families. Vasectomy is still an afterthought for many men, even when discussing family planning and reproductive rights. It is assumed that women will carry most of the reproductive burdens. However, it is not true that reproduction (at least in the old-fashioned manner) takes two.It is now clear that women are not doing as much to prevent unintended pregnancies as men. This is because of questions regarding whether the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine (US) and AstraZeneca vaccine (UK and Europe) increase blood clot risks. After examining the evidence, CDC deemed Johnson & Johnson vaccine safe. However, it noted that there was a slight increase in blood clotting risk for women younger than 50. The European Medicines Agency recommended that AstraZeneca not be administered to young patients.Many women were intrigued by the possibility of taking the pill.Although the birth control pill is very safe, it comes with a higher blood clot risk than the Covid vaccine. The two are not necessarily the same. Pill-related bloodclots are usually found in the legs or lungs and not the brain. They can be treated.Every contraceptive method has its faults. Side effects of hormonal methods such as the Depo Provera shot, the pill and the hormonal IUD can include weight gain, mood swings, nausea, and most importantly, a decreased sex drive. This kind of defeats what contraception is all about. My experience is that many women who are pro-choice advocates have given up on hormonal contraception due to side effects. Non-hormonal methods may not be the best option. The copper IUD can cause heavy bleeding, severe menstrual pain, and even death. I remember asking my doctor years ago about the copper IUD. She said that I should only get it if I'm okay with the bleeding and pain for the next year.The answer to the question "Why don't men bear their fair share of contraception burden?" is simple: Men also don't bear the burden of childbirth, so there is less incentive to prevent it. It is a positive thing that women can control their reproductive capabilities without having to rely on their male partners.The list above also reveals that there are no hormonal, medical or permanent contraception options available for men. Contrary to hormonal contraception condoms can stop the spread of infection. They are not a common method of birth control, but they can prevent the spread of infections. Condoms can cause decreased sensation in many people. They also require interruption of what many couples desire to be spontaneous and sensuous moments. This is not a method that only the heterosexual partner must carry. There are many drugs that men can use to continue having erections long after they reach old age. However, there is no male pill or male intramuscular device. This tells you a lot about men and the drug companies' expectations.The lack of fertility control options for men is not the only problem. Tubal ligation is the most popular method of contraception in America for American women. It doesn't use any hormonal options. There is also a male counterpart: vasectomy.However, women are twice as likely as men to have their tubes tied. Tubal ligation, however, is more risky, more dangerous, and more difficult to reverse.This divide doesn't include money, opportunity, or logic. It's sexism. The expectation that women will not only carry the burden of reproduction, which can often be permanently harmful to our health and pose a risk to our lives, but will also have to bear 100% of the risk and pain of trying and preventing it. Men are just there for the fun.This division has been present in intimate relationships for millennia. It's no surprise that many men don't seem to have a change of heart and a lot more women don't give it much thought. Concerns about the (overwhelmingly safe and effective) Covid vaccine have opened up new lines of discussion about who is responsible for which contraception risks and why. The conversation should go beyond the concerns surrounding the (also overwhelmingly popular, but not 100% safe) birth control pill. Men need to ask why they don't have more contraceptive options. Vasectomies should be offered to more women. Women who want equality at home should question whether they are getting it if their family planning takes a heavy toll.
