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Alex West’s experience with fatherhood was deeply affected by the traumatic labour his wife endured during the birth of their first child. Hoping for a less distressing experience the second time around, Alex found that while the delivery went more smoothly for his wife, he himself had an intense emotional reaction. Reflecting on that period, he admits, “I had a panic attack and broke down. I hadn’t been able to – I didn’t have the ability to – process that.” The lingering trauma from the first labour, combined with his own postnatal depression, led him to reconsider the couple’s original plan of having four children.
After the birth of their two sons, Alex describes the following months as “grey,” a time he found devoid of the joy and connection others assumed came with fatherhood. “I didn’t feel this love and connection that everybody says I should have,” he explains. With his wellbeing at stake and a resolution not to face similar experiences again, Alex and his wife mutually decided to stop at two children. Since Alex was the main advocate of this decision, he felt it was unfair to expect his wife to manage contraception alone. Consequently, he opted for a vasectomy, joining an increasing number of men in England making the same choice. This procedure, commonly known as “the snip,” involves cutting and sealing the vas deferens, the tubes that transport sperm.
Data from NHS England reveals a steady rise in vasectomies, with 26,385 procedures conducted in 2024-25, marking a 16% increase from the previous year. Men aged 35 to 39 accounted for the majority, approximately 8,400 vasectomies during that period. Notably, younger men under 30 are also increasingly opting for the procedure, with about 950 vasectomies performed on men in this age group in England over the same timeframe. Alex himself underwent the operation in his late 20s after his NHS doctor recommended waiting until he was 30 to ensure he was certain about the decision. He recalls, “I put my headphones on and I listened to about three songs before they said it was all done. Ridiculous – crazy quick.”
Similar stories come from elsewhere, such as Sam Knight in the United States, who chose a vasectomy at 22 after his then-partner became pregnant and subsequently terminated the pregnancy. Sam shares, “I was putting myself in situations where kids could be a potential option and that really started to, kind of, freak me out.” He felt the need for a permanent solution to prevent ever putting someone through that experience again. Undergoing the procedure required convincing medical professionals of his determination, especially given his young age. Sam notes, “The doctor actually said he had very recently changed his view. And that, if I had come in half a year earlier, he would have turned me away instantly.” Ultimately, Sam’s vasectomy came a few months after his initial consultation, costing him about $1,200 including aftercare, while he was still covered by his family’s health insurance
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