Novel restricted access to vasectomy in Iran: addressing changing trends in vasectomy clients' characteristics over 16 years in northwestern Iran

ObjectivesThis study is designed to evaluate the popularity of vasectomy in Iran. The study was conducted to calculate the frequency of vasectomy over time, to compare vasectomy users' characteristics with the general population and whether these characteristics have changed over time.Study DesignA cross-sectional study of 7864 men undergoing vasectomy in a 16-year period was conducted in Urmia, Iran. Comparative statistics described differences between vasectomy users and nonusers. The data were analyzed separately in two 8-year periods, 1996–2003 and 2004–2011. The time period did not involve 2012, the year which vasectomy became outlawed in the whole country.ResultsDuring the study period, the contraceptive prevalence rate of vasectomy increased from 0.1% to 3.35%. Vasectomy users were predominantly older, better educated, had more children and more urban residents than the general male population (p < 0.001). Over time, men who underwent vasectomy tended to be younger, have well-educated wife and rural resident (p < 0.05).ConclusionsThis study highlighted a dramatic rise in the use of vasectomy between 1996 and 2011 in Iran. While the characteristics of vasectomy users versus general population were different, especially in age, education, resident area, number and sex of their children, there were significant changes from two 8-year study time periods.