Posted at 5:00 a.m.
Olivier Charbonneau underwent a vasectomy at the age of 27, by choice. The student at the École du Barreau told his story on Facebook, on the sidelines of the reversal of the Roe v. Wade in the United States. “The men spoke little or not against the decision. I wanted to spark discussion,” he said in an interview.
Olivier’s vasectomy did not meet with unanimous approval among those around him. It’s a fairly rare practice for someone so young. Only 5.2% of men who undergo the procedure are under 30 years old, reveal figures provided by Vasectomy Quebec, a clinic specializing in this type of intervention which receives 4,000 patients annually.
Many told him he was “too young” or “gonna regret it,” he said in a post that was shared hundreds of times on Facebook this week.
“The responsibility for contraception does not only lie with women, but also with us, men,” he replies.
“There is also a social aspect: it allowed my future partner not to need chemical methods. I don’t want to impose this type of contraceptive,” adds the young man, who wishes to spare his partners their undesirable side effects.
The silence of men
Like millions of people around the world, Olivier was “pretty shocked” by the invalidation of Roe v. Wade by the US Supreme Court, a decision which now gives all states the possibility of banning abortion on their territory.
However, he deplores the fact that it is mostly women, and very few men, who have risen to express their disagreement with this “retreat”.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
Olivier Charbonneau
They are rare, the men who spoke out against the event. Their reactions were almost absent, despite the importance of the law which had just disappeared. We have just prioritized the right of an unborn child rather than a woman’s right to choose.
Olivier Charbonneau, about the overthrow of Roe c. wade
“Here, this right has existed since 1989 with Daigle v. Tremblay. What would happen if we lost it? It would be a significant setback. With [ma publication]I wanted to make a link to raise awareness [les gens] alternatives that exist for contraception. Men have the opportunity to do their part, to take responsibility for contraception. »
“Think in definitive terms”
When he began the process of undergoing a vasectomy last November, Olivier was prepared. He had been thinking about it since he was 24, had read extensively on the subject and understood the risks of the operation.
“It’s very minimal, the physical impact. It can be relieved only with Tylenol. And on a psychological level, it’s a decision that has matured in my mind. It wasn’t impulsive. There was a journey, a reflection. So I had no shock, no surprise. I was more like, ‟I finally did it!” »
Vasectomy is not the method of contraception to prioritize in young people, argues the Dr Michel Labrecque, one of the specialists in this procedure in the province. “I’m not saying it’s not possible to reverse a vasectomy. But the risk is too great, and it can cost thousands of dollars. So we have to think in definitive terms. »
A few weeks ago, a 19-year-old guy came to see me… I said to him, “Look, no.” This is not the birth control method you should be considering [à cet âge].
The Dr Michel Labrecque, vasectomy specialist
Olivier Charbonneau “is not closed to the idea” of having children. But he is fully aware that his vasectomy is potentially irreversible. If he ever tries to back down without success, the young man will remain at peace with his choice. “I can still adopt,” he says.
At Vasectomy Quebec, where Dr.r Labrecque, about 35% of the procedures are undergone by men between the ages of 35 and 39, who have an average of two children. “That’s my typical clientele,” he remarks. A large proportion of patients are aged 45 and over.
With regard to male contraception, the Dr Michel Labrecque would play patience.
“We don’t have anything yet, but we’ve been talking about it for 50 years. There is a gel that would be injected into the vas deferens under investigation in Australia. It is made by the American company Contraline. It won’t be on the market tomorrow, it could take years. Same thing for hormones, ”explains the doctor.
“These are products that are currently in clinical studies. It is not in 2022 that we will see that. »