Dr Nikolas Katelaris has performed over 2,000 vasectomies and stopped counting. The Sydney procedural GP notes a clear uptick in demand in recent years, reflecting a national trend. Medicare data shows vasectomies in Australia surged from 22,230 in 2015 to 36,317 in 2025, a 63% increase. Of the 699,473 total vasectomies recorded between January 2000 and December 2025, nearly a third (210,105) occurred in the last five years.
Why More Men Are Opting for Vasectomy
Katelaris cites two main drivers: men taking more responsibility for contraception and economic pressures. “A lot of it is that men are taking more responsibility for their part in the contraceptive burden,” he says. “People are realising that having a big family is expensive … It would be naive to think that that’s not part of what’s driving it.” The biggest demographic remains men in their 30s or 40s who already have children and feel their family is complete.
The procedure, which permanently prevents sperm from entering semen by cutting and sealing the vas deferens, takes under 30 minutes under local anaesthesia. Most men drive themselves home. Costs range from $400 to $1,000 after the Medicare rebate.
Younger Men Seeking Vasectomy: A Challenge
Katelaris has also seen an increase in younger men without children requesting the procedure. This is a “challenging scenario” because they are most likely to seek a reversal. The overall reversal rate is 2.4%, but rises to 11.1% among those aged 20–24 at the time of the procedure. He tries to dissuade them, noting that reversal success is only 70–80% if done within eight years.
Personal Stories: Why Men Choose the Snip
Alex, 35, Copywriter
After multiple miscarriages and learning his daughter had a rare genetic variant from him, Alex and his wife decided against more children. IVF was the only option for a healthy pregnancy. “My wife asked me if I would be open to a vasectomy. It seemed quite cheap, quite easy, and it would mean we didn’t have to worry about accidentally getting pregnant and our baby inheriting this genetic variant,” he says. He now feels relieved: “I just don’t have to fuck around with contraception any more because I’m shooting blanks forever, baby.”
Tom, 60, Business Owner
Tom, who had four children from a previous relationship, decided on a vasectomy after his girlfriend suffered an ectopic pregnancy. “It is often left to women to take the pill when you’re in a relationship and I don’t think that’s fair,” he says. Despite splitting with that partner, he has no regrets: “It gave me peace of mind for the rest of my life.” He adds, “Once you have seen what women go through with childbirth, it’s only fair that men suffer through 15 minutes to get a vasectomy.”
Toby, 44, Media
Toby knew by his late 30s he didn’t want kids. “I don’t want to bring up kids in this day and age,” he says, citing toxic relationships and the state of the world. After three pregnancy terminations, he chose vasectomy to avoid repeating the cycle. His mother supported him: “I think it’s a great decision, there are too many deadshit dads out there.” He got the procedure three months ago and feels relief: “It straightens out the narrative around how my life is going to go.”
Jack, 40, Electrician
Jack and his partner, parents of two, decided they were done. “I love my children dearly, but two is enough,” he says. To spare his partner from birth control, he volunteered for the snip. He spoke with friends who had it done, which eased his concerns. Since the procedure in 2023, their sex life has improved. “My partner always says, ‘Gosh, I love this vasectomy!’”
Myles, 42, Community Support
Myles got his vasectomy from a “travelling snipper” who performed 13 procedures that afternoon. His wife had struggled with hormonal contraception and IUDs. “We’re crazy environmentalist people and didn’t want the constant waste of condoms,” he says. He believes shifting the contraceptive burden to women is patriarchal. After his procedure, he talked about it in his group chat and referred three friends to the same clinic. “Men who have had vasectomies love to talk about their vasectomies,” he says.
