'The Roe thing cemented it ... this needs to be done' Following the supreme court’s overturning of federal abortion rights, urologists say more men are taking charge of their reproductive health. “Men are upping their game a little bit,” Barbara Nielsen, a spokesperson with a urologic institute in Idaho said. “In the first couple weeks [after the Dobbs decision], we did see a definite uptick in calls. And I know other area urologists did as well.” Urologists advertise “no needle, no scalpel” procedures. A small hole is punctured in the scrotum, allowing access to the vas deferens – the ducts that transmit sperm from the testicles to the urethra. Most men report the only real pain as the initial anesthetic needle to the region. Crucially, vasectomies are now slightly easier to undo – though Dr Alex Shteynshlyuger, a New York City urologist, is quick to note that this doesn’t necessarily mean that men should take the decision to compromise (even semi-permanently) their reproductive abilities lightly. "The supreme court decision has prompted a lot of conversation about contraception in general," he says, "as well as raising the awareness about vasectomy as an effective, low cost, safe, and permanent method of contraception that gives men control over their procreation.” Vasectomy reversal operations are pricey (costing as much as $10,000), with success rates that decrease substantially as time since the vasectomy elapses. But for some men, the state of the world has helped them make up their minds. “Even if I wanted children,” says Shawn, who recently had a vasectomy, “there’s lots of reasons not to bring a kid into the world right now.”