The number of young adults seeking permanent contraception rose in the U.S. after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in the summer of 2022, especially in states that were deemed more likely to ban abortion, according to a new study from the George Washington University.
Why It Matters
The research adds to other findings about the rise in Americans seeking long-term birth control and permanent contraception after the Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which stripped away constitutional protections for abortion and allowed states to ban the procedure.
Currently, 13 states—all of them led by Republicans—have banned abortion at all stages of pregnancy, and four others ban it after six weeks, before many even know they are pregnant. Women in those states face major obstacles to obtaining abortions, with advocates saying the bans disproportionately affect women of color and low-income women.
President-elect Donald Trump, who appointed three justices who voted to overturn Roe, winning a second term in the White House has raised concerns about further restrictions on abortion as well as possible restrictions on contraceptives.
What To Know
The study—called Tubal Sterilization And Vasectomy Increased Among U.S. Young Adults After The Dobbs Supreme Court Decision—was published in Health Affairs on January 6.
It found that the number of young adults seeking tubal sterilization—a procedure to close the fallopian tubes so the patient can no longer get pregnant, known as having your tubes tied—and vasectomies significantly increased after May 2022, when a draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court was posted to overturn Roe, was leaked and published by Politico.
There were 346, or 95 percent, more vasectomies for young adults between the age of 19 and 26 in August 2022 than in May that year, according to a news release about the study.
The number of tubal sterilizations also increased significantly among that demographic—there were 799 more in August 2022 than in May.
The researchers also conducted a survey among 638 young adults, finding that many were concerned about their reproductive rights.
Participants in the survey said they were seeking permanent contraception due to concerns about not being able to access abortions or make decisions about pregnancy.
What People Are Saying
Julia Strasser, director of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health, said in a statement: "Our study shows that the Dobbs decision has had a profound effect on young adults' reproductive choices, leading many to opt for permanent contraception in the months following the decision.
"While access to all contraceptive methods—including permanent ones—is critical for reproductive autonomy, young people should not feel coerced into making decisions based on fear and uncertainty surrounding their rights."
What's Next
Requests for contraceptives, including long-term birth control, reportedly surged after Donald Trump won the 2024 election.
Anti-abortion advocates are calling on Trump to enact more restrictions on abortion pills when he returns to office, though he said in a recent interview with Time magazine that it was "very unlikely" he would do anything to restrict access.
It remains unclear if Trump will pursue restrictions on contraceptives in his second term. He said in May last year that he would be "looking at" restrictions to a person's right to contraceptives, though he later walked the comments back, writing on social media that he would "never advocate" imposing restrictions on birth control.
English (US) ·