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Vasectomies On the Rise As Bank Accounts Shrink

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Photo by Robbie via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr

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Having and raising a child can be a joyous thing, but it can also cost a small fortune. And in this unstable economy, many families are opting to do a bit more planning when it comes to prospective parenthood. "In Southern California, Planned Parenthood says that compared with last year’s first quarter, requests for vasectomies were up more than 30 percent in the first three months of this year at its clinics in San Diego and Riverside Counties, where 64 of the procedures were done," today's New York Times reports. Men interested in the contraceptive procedure are now finding they are having to wait 8-10 weeks, instead of 3-6 weeks before, to get the procedure, because of the increased demand for the appointment. Vince Hall, a Planned Parenthood spokesman, notes that men who are unemployed may qualify for a free vasectomy through the use of Family PACT, which might also account for the swell of popularity the procedure is enjoying.

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