Vasectomy, the very word strikes fear into the heart of some men. ‘No way!’ many men say, ‘anyone’s giving me the snip.’ They seem to equate such an operation with a loss of manhood. It’s okay for women to take the pill, or use other forms of contraception or even have their tubes tied if the couple has reached the decision that no more children is the best option, but no way anyone is getting near them for any operation.
On the other hand I heard a male minister say one time if it was the best and safest option for his wife once they had decided their family was complete, he would have no hesitation in getting the big snip.
A couple needs to think long and seriously through this option before going ahead with it. A lot will depend here on a couple’s ethical views of such an operation and whether they believe it is right to see this as a valid form of birth control.
Another point to be taken into consideration is that it is a more final and irreversible decision than taking the pill or many other forms of contraception. What would happen if suddenly they changed their minds or if one of their children died or the wife died, or if the couple spilt up and remarried and wanted to have children. It’s certainly an option that should never be taken without considering all this thoroughly first.
If women claim they have the right to decide what happens to their own bodies and make decisions about what they will and won’t do, then one could suggest that in this case the man should be the one who has to be comfortable with the decision. No wife should pressure him into such a decision because it sounds like an easier option for her. Would you agree?
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