More and more men in Belgium are opting for male sterilisation, writes De Zondag on Sunday. Last year, 8,898 Belgian men opted for a vasectomy, almost 25 a day. In 2021, there were 7,100 and 5,832 in 2020.
“A logical development”, believes urologist Piet Hoebeke (UGent). “Family planning has become a shared affair. Sterilisation is a much more complex procedure for women. Maybe it’s up to the man to make a little effort.”
In a vasectomy, both vas deferens, the tube that helps transport semen, are blocked so that fertilisation can no longer take place.
It is a minor operation under local anaesthetic. The procedure is most popular with men aged between 35 and 44.
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Remarkably, more and more men in their thirties are also requesting the operation, with the number of procedures increasing by 50% in two years.
