Barriers and facilitators affecting vasectomy acceptability (a multi stages study in a sample from north eastern of Iran), 2005-2007

This study was carried out in three stages. The first stage was a survey of couples that had the vasectomy procedure during 2004-2007 in the Shahroud area. In the second stage of the study we compared characteristics of the cases (the couples who had the vasectomy procedure during the study period) and controls (including couples with at least one child that choose other contraceptive methods excluding a vasectomy) using χ2 and T student tests. In the third stage of the study we aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of those who did not choose to have a vasectomy as there contraception method by filling out questionnaires in personal interviews.An increasing trend toward the vasectomy procedure was observed during 2005 to 2007. We found positive associations between male and female educational levels and choosing to have a vasectomy (p < 0.05). Majority of women (88.44%) thought that their husbands would prefer to have a tubectomy to a vasectomy.The study results show a necessity for both couples to participate in educational programs about the vasectomy procedure.The vasectomy procedure is a safe, simple and permanent method of contraception and has a failure rate of less than 1%[1]. It is less expensive and equally as effective as female sterilization; however, vasectomies are one of the least used and least known methods of contraception throughout the world[2]. Worldwide, an estimated 33 million married women between 15 to 49 years old (less than 3%) rely on their partner's vasectomy for contraception [3].Garcia Moren and co-workers suggested that greater spreading of information regarding the vasectomy procedure as a contraceptive method, greater links between male needs and the vasectomy procedure, and maintaining or increasing access to family planning[4].In a nationwide practice-based survey in the United States conducted on 719 men receiving vasectomies, the researchers found that in spite of the variety of the U.S. population, vasectomy recipients ar