<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Exclusive:</span></strong><span> Vasectomies are booming in Australia and many experts believe the rising cost of living could be a factor in younger men going under the knife.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A new study from Adelaide University researchers has revealed the number of vasectomies performed on men aged 18-44 each year has spiked by more than 60 per cent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>About 18,500 vasectomies were performed on men in that age range back in 2016.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/abortions-terminations-due-to-cost-of-living-australian-birth-rate/58e60e95-0193-4a1c-b9fb-64d91a25ed11" rel="" target="_blank" title="'Australians aren't choosing careers over children, they're choosing financial survival'"><strong><span>'Australians aren't choosing careers over children, they're choosing financial survival'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In 2024, the number had surged to more than 29,800.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Researchers also found the average number of vasectomies performed per month has increased by about 45 per cent, though the figure was much higher in some states.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>For example, in NSW about 25 vasectomies were performed on men aged 18 to 44 per 100,000 male population per month in April 2016.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/vasectomies-on-the-rise-in-australia-exclusive-data/e327612f-9118-4673-abec-860564301353" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In December 2024, that figure had jumped to 39 – an increase of 56 per cent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In Tasmania, the number of vasectomies were performed on men aged 18 to 44 per 100,000 male population per month rose from 41 in 2016 to 66 in 2024.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That's an increase of 61 per cent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/xi-jinping-and-vladimir-putin-closer-ties/824484ee-4654-4ba0-818d-4833b0614729" target="_blank"><strong><span>'Global turbulence' pushing China and Russia closer</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Dr Jack Janetzki, lecturer in Pharmacy and Pharmacology at Adelaide University and co-author of the study, suspects the cost-of-living crisis played a role in the spike in vasectomy rates across the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Rising housing costs, cost-of-living pressures and delayed partnership formation could all be associated with decisions to limit or forgo childbearing," he told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Vasectomy provides a definitive solution to limiting family size amid these pressures and people may now be making concrete decisions on family size at a greater rate."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Have you got a story? Contact</span></strong></em><span> </span><strong><em><span>reporter Maddison Leach at</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="mailto:mleach@nine.com.au" target="_blank" title="mleach@nine.com.au"><strong><em><span>mleach@nine.com.au</span></em></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Increasing awareness and normalisation of vasectomy as a safe, effective and relatively simple form of contraception may be another factor.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There's also greater visibility of male reproductive responsibility now than there was 10 years ago, prompting some men to take on more contraceptive responsibility.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Not to mention that vasectomy is much less invasive than permanent methods of female contraception like tubal ligation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The rise in vasectomy rates across the country coincides with a steady </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-fertility-rate-to-hit-record-low-2026/3d7a5a43-61bf-4fb0-9c95-bfe731d965a0" rel="" target="_blank" title="decline in Australia's birth rate."><span>decline in Australia's birth rate.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The nation's total fertility rate (TFR) dipped to a record-breaking low of 1.48 in 2024 and is predicted to slip even lower to 1.42 this year, according to </span><a href="https://population.gov.au/sites/population.gov.au/files/2026-01/population-statement-2025.pdf" rel="" target="_blank" title="The Centre for Population."><span>The Centre for Population.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/tax-relief-for-beer-lovers-but-spirits-drinkers-call-for-reform-of-broken-system/b582f1b3-3bca-4d84-924b-09aaf5f63023" target="_blank"><strong><span>Tax relief for beer lovers but Nationals call for reform of 'broken' system</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Vasectomy alone cannot explain Australia's falling birth rate but it likely acts as both a marker and mechanism of fertility decline," Janetzki said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Data shows a marked rise in vasectomies in younger men, particularly those aged 18 to 24.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Meanwhile, the number of young women aged 18 to 24 giving birth is declining.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This suggests young Australians are making decisions to limit fertility and are increasingly open to permanent contraception at younger ages .</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our findings likely reflect the changing intentions around family size and permanence of reproductive decisions, reinforcing trends towards delayed child bearing, fewer children overall or not choosing to have children at all," Janetzki said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>