No formal data collection system exists in the USA to collect and collate the number of sterilizations performed annually. There have been two studies done within the last 15 years that have attempted to give an accurate figure for the number of sterilization performed annually in the USA. Neither were actual counts, but extrapolations of smaller surveys and telephone questionnaires. The figure arrived at was approximately 500,000 vasectomies per year. Approximately 11% of the population relying on vasectomy as their primary method of birth control. In light of the figures below, the 500,000 / 11% figures are likely to be under-estimates.
The figures on this page were collected in 2002 for the Department of health & Human Services, and the paper was published on November 18, 2005. The study consists of a telephone questionnaire to men and women in all states and dependencies. There were 99,262 male participants, and 74,764 female participants. Participants were excluded from the study if they weren't sexually active, didn't respond to questions or didn't meet age criteria.
Men and women answered differently. Both men and women reported Tubal Ligation equally, men had higher percentages for vasectomy and condom use, and women had higher percentage for the pill, and lower percentage for vasectomy and condom use. The statistics below are a combination of the percentages for men and women by state.
Men answered as follows for
their primary method of birth control:-
|
Pill |
23.7% |
|
Tubal Ligation |
22.3% |
|
Condom |
20.3% |
|
Vasectomy |
19.5% |
Women answered as follows for
their primary method of birth control:-
|
Pill |
32.9% |
|
Tubal Ligation |
23.5% |
|
Condom |
14.3% |
|
Vasectomy |
12.5% |
Overall, the results for primary
method of birth control are as follows:-
|
Pill |
28.3% |
|
Tubal Ligation |
22.9% |
|
Condom |
17.3% |
|
Vasectomy |
16.1% |
Tubal ligation was most used in
Puerto Rico (50.5%), and least used in District of Columbia
(11%).
Vasectomy was most used in Washington (25.9%), and least used in
the US Virgin Islands (3.7%).
The pill was most used in South Dakota (37.3%), and least used in
Puerto Rico (14.2%).
Condoms were most used in the US Virgin Islands (14.6%), and
least used in Kentucky (10.5%).
|
Tubal Ligation % |
Vasectomy % |
Pill % |
Condom % |
|
|
Overall Average |
22.9 |
16.1 |
28.3 |
17.3 |
|
Alabama |
28.7 |
12.1 |
28.7 |
16.3 |
|
Alaska |
21.7 |
21.1 |
25.7 |
12.6 |
|
Arizona |
21.2 |
17.8 |
30.3 |
13.3 |
|
Arkansas |
30.2 |
17.3 |
25.7 |
15.1 |
|
California |
17.6 |
12.9 |
28.2 |
23.1 |
|
Colorado |
18.1 |
21.1 |
28.8 |
16.3 |
|
Connecticut |
14.3 |
14.6 |
16.3 |
22.7 |
|
Delaware |
24.5 |
13.8 |
30.1 |
17.8 |
|
District of Columbia |
11 |
3.9 |
30.2 |
38.5 |
|
Florida |
23.1 |
12.8 |
27.1 |
20.4 |
|
Georgia |
26.6 |
11.8 |
28.5 |
19.4 |
|
Guam |
21.6 |
6.7 |
30.5 |
18.2 |
|
Hawaii |
20.6 |
16.2 |
32.2 |
17.3 |
|
Idaho |
22.3 |
18.9 |
28.4 |
11.6 |
|
Illinois |
17.4 |
14.3 |
29.4 |
24.3 |
|
Indiana |
24.1 |
22.1 |
26.7 |
15.6 |
|
Iowa |
21.3 |
22 |
31.7 |
13.5 |
|
Kansas |
20.3 |
19.3 |
34.7 |
12.3 |
|
Kentucky |
37.7 |
10.4 |
28.7 |
10.5 |
|
Louisiana |
25.5 |
11.9 |
29.7 |
18.6 |
|
Maine |
23.5 |
22.9 |
25.8 |
13.7 |
|
Maryland |
19.3 |
14.2 |
29.1 |
21.8 |
|
Massachusetts |
13.9 |
13.9 |
31.5 |
22.5 |
|
Michigan |
20.8 |
22 |
25.1 |
20 |
|
Minnesota |
18.2 |
23.4 |
29.6 |
13.9 |
|
Mississippi |
32.5 |
8.7 |
28.4 |
18.7 |
|
Missouri |
25.1 |
18.9 |
28 |
13.7 |
|
Montana |
18.8 |
25.8 |
27.2 |
12.3 |
|
Nebraska |
21.7 |
18.9 |
33.4 |
13.2 |
|
Nevada |
20.3 |
15.7 |
31.3 |
16.3 |
|
New Hampshire |
19.1 |
22.9 |
28.6 |
14.1 |
|
New Jersey |
19.8 |
7.7 |
28.3 |
26.3 |
|
New Mexico |
26.7 |
14.4 |
24.4 |
15.3 |
|
New York |
16.5 |
9.6 |
26.6 |
28.4 |
|
North Carolina |
23.4 |
13 |
32.7 |
13.7 |
|
North Dakota |
19.7 |
21 |
30.5 |
15.2 |
|
Ohio |
24.2 |
18.6 |
29 |
15.8 |
|
Oklahoma |
26.9 |
18.6 |
28.7 |
12.9 |
|
Oregon |
18.7 |
25.1 |
25.7 |
15.9 |
|
Pennsylvania |
24.7 |
15.9 |
26.2 |
19 |
|
Puerto Rico |
50.6 |
6.7 |
14.2 |
12.2 |
|
Rhode Island |
17.6 |
15.7 |
31.5 |
17.9 |
|
South Carolina |
28.3 |
11 |
28.3 |
17.6 |
|
South Dakota |
20 |
16.4 |
37.3 |
12.2 |
|
Tennessee |
32.7 |
13 |
30.3 |
12.5 |
|
Texas |
26.2 |
11.8 |
26.5 |
18.9 |
|
US Virgin Islands |
19.9 |
3.7 |
20.5 |
41.6 |
|
Utah |
19.4 |
17.3 |
29.8 |
15 |
|
Vermont |
19 |
23.6 |
26.5 |
14.9 |
|
Virginia |
22.7 |
13.3 |
32.2 |
16.4 |
|
Washington |
17 |
25.9 |
26.7 |
15.2 |
|
West Virginia |
37.4 |
12.7 |
27.2 |
11.3 |
|
Wisconsin |
18.6 |
22.7 |
28.5 |
12.6 |
|
Wyoming |
25.9 |
22.6 |
24.5 |
13 |