Pitt study sees "dramatic increase" in tubal ligation rate in young people after Roe v. Wade overturned
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, the issue of reproductive rights has been center stage across the country. While it might be a hot-button political issue, it's also very personal, and many women and men are taking the step of permanent contraception.
The demonstrations, debates, and court rulings since Roe v. Wade was overturned have had personal impacts on people in their prime reproductive years.
"It made people anxious and made them scared," said Dr. Jacqueline Ellison, who is the lead author of a JAMA-published study done by the Pitt School of Public Health gauging patients' responses since the Supreme Court's ruling.
"We found a pretty dramatic increase in the tubal ligation rate among young people ages 18 to 30," Ellison said.
AHN OB/GYN Dr. Grace Ferguson says she's seen it in her patients who are about 20 to 25 years old.
"What I've seen really that's different is that there are young people who come and choose to have their tubes tied and removed early. They're just like, 'I feel sure, I feel certain and I don't know what will be true for me politically in a couple years. So I'd like to take control of that now.'"
Ellison says it's not just women. Researchers saw a jump in vasectomies as well. She says while vasectomies have leveled out, tubal ligations continued on an upward trend through the study that looked at cases through September of last year.
It's not a procedure taken lightly -- doctors worry patients will have sterilization regret.
"There have been instances of people being discouraged by clinicians from undergoing permanent contraception," Ellison said.
While a tubal ligation or tying can be reversed, that procedure is not covered by insurance and if the tubes are removed, there's no looking back.
"It's meant to be lifetime," Ferguson said.
Because of the permanence, the doctors say a lot of conversation and soul searching needs to take place before going through with the procedure, whether it's a tubal ligation or a vasectomy.
