Planned Parenthood of Michigan said it will resume offering vasectomies in Michigan, beginning with appointments at its Irwin/Martin health center in Grand Rapids, as abortion access has narrowed nationwide following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
The nonprofit said the minor procedure would be available to adults 21 and older, and that more locations are expected to come online during the year. Planned Parenthood said it maintains 10 brick-and-mortar clinics in Michigan and a statewide telehealth program.
Planned Parenthood’s leadership pointed to increased demand for “permanent birth control” in the period after Dobbs. Dr. Kate Starr, chief medical officer at Planned Parenthood of Michigan, told Bridge Michigan, “The demand is real and present,” and said, “Patients and their partners are looking for ways to control their lives and their families, and vasectomy is one of the ways in which they can do that.”
Starr said some patients in Michigan have faced long waits for hospital-based vasectomy procedures, describing “the only option has been being on a long wait list for a hospital-based procedure six to eight months from now.” Planned Parenthood said it is seeking to broaden access with vasectomy appointments, with Starr saying, “We are offering access to folks who want vasectomy and also likely need reasonably priced care.”
The organization said it had stopped providing vasectomies about a decade ago, but that renewed demand has led it to resume. Planned Parenthood of Michigan said it serves about 50,000 patients each year.
Planned Parenthood officials also tied the change to the broader strain on sexual and reproductive health services. Paula Thornton Greear, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Michigan, said the nonprofit faced “significant challenges” last year, when clinics closed throughout the state and left many rural areas without in-person services, while she said vasectomy demand is rising.
In a statement, Thornton Greear said, “As the attacks on sexual and reproductive health continue to grow nationwide, our resolve only deepens,” adding, “Everyone deserves the power to decide if, when, and how to grow their family, and our commitment to helping Michiganders exercise that right is unwavering.”
Planned Parenthood of Michigan and its national counterpart said they are facing funding cuts from the Trump administration. The article said millions of dollars tied to Title X family planning were restored in December after being withheld for months.
The article cited research suggesting the shift toward permanent contraception after Dobbs. It said an American Urological Association study that analyzed a single health system in Michigan found a 150% rise in vasectomy consultations and a 160% increase in vasectomy volume in the six months after the Dobbs ruling.
Planned Parenthood also said it is seeing broader demand changes among men and gender-diverse patients. The article said Planned Parenthood of Michigan reported a 40% increase in male patients seeking non-vasectomy services, including gender-affirming care and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, since 2023, and that it served 8,500 men and gender-diverse individuals last year.
For patients seeking the procedure, Planned Parenthood said a vasectomy can be done in less than an hour without general anesthesia and that patients typically return home later that day. The organization said it requires two appointments: an initial consultation and then the “no-scapel” vasectomy surgery, described as a minimally invasive procedure in which the tube that carries semen in the scrotum is severed.
The article said that while vasectomies can sometimes be reversed by a urologist, Planned Parenthood and many physicians warn of lower pregnancy success rates after a reversal. It said vasectomies are not recommended for people who may want children in the future.
Planned Parenthood said the vasectomy would cost $800 without insurance coverage, including a $100 consultation fee, and that it is in-network for many health plans.