Key Statistics from the National Survey of Family Growth – V Listing

Vasectomy
- Prevalence
- Main reason for operation

Vasectomy

Prevalence

Percentage of all women 15-44 years of age in 2011-2015 who are currently relying on vasectomy (male sterilization) as a birth control method: 4.5% (SE 0.32, 2.7 million)

Source: Special tabulation by NCHS

Main reason for operation

Among women ages 15-44 years whose husbands or partners had a vasectomy within the past 5 years, percent distribution by main reason for the vasectomy:

	2002¹	2006-2010²	2011-2015²
She had all the children she wanted	47.0%	38.8%	40.2% (5.03)
Her husband or cohabiting partner had all the children he wanted	36.4%	42.3%	38.1% (4.71)
Medical reasons	5.0%	4.8%	12.1% (3.47)
Problems with other methods of birth control	0.5%	3.1%	1.5% (1.00)
Some other reason	11.1%	11.1%	8.1% (2.29)

Sources:

¹Series 23, No. 25, Table 73 [PDF – 4.7 MB]

²Special tabulation by NCHS