NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A woman who wishes to remain “child-free” says a gynecologist denied her request for tubal ligation because of her age and dating future.
Olivia, a 22-year-old student from Massachusetts, reenacted the alleged conversation she had with a female OB/GYN for her followers on TikTok.
“Hi, Mrs. Gynecologist. My name is Olivia. I never want children,” she starts off while extending her hand to the camera, mocking an introductory handshake.
“I’ve had this made up in my mind since I was old enough to think of the concept,” Olivia continued. “Can I please have my tubes tied?”
‘CHILD-FREE’ WOMEN FEEL LITTLE DISTRESS, STUDY FINDS
Olivia, who omitted her surname on TikTok, went on to say the doctor told her “no” because the procedure is “permanent,” and instead suggested an intrauterine device (IUD) as a form of birth control.
Obstetrician-gynecologists are medical doctors who consult patients on various reproductive treatments and procedures, including tubal ligation, also known as tube tying. (iStock)
“You might meet Mr. Right and change your mind,” Olivia says the doctor told her.
Olivia says she reiterated that she has her mind set and wouldn’t regret getting her tubes tied.
“No. It’s not my plan,” Olivia claims she said in response to the denial. “It’s not in my five-year plan, it’s not in my ten-year plan, my fifty-year plan. I don’t want that.”
Olivia says the doctor rejected her request once more on the basis of the procedure’s permanence and the slim chance that she could change her mind in the future.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO HAVE A BABY
The doctor allegedly gave Olivia a brochure for a copper IUD, which she held up to the camera while she sat in her car.
Olivia says the doctor went on to tell her that the IUD she recommends has the same efficacy rate as tube tying, but comes with the side effect of uterine cramps can last for months after insertion.
“No, no thank you,” Olivia concludes.
Fox News Digital reached out to Olivia for comment.
Within one week of posting her video to TikTok, the clip has been viewed more than two million times.
MORE COLLEGE-EDUCATED WOMEN ARE HAVING BABIES BEFORE MARRIAGE: STUDY
Thousands of commenters have chimed in on the topic and the grand majority side with Olivia’s wishes over Mrs. Gynecologist’s warnings.
“People need to understand NOT wanting kids!!!!!” one commenter wrote.
“I’ve always hated the ‘what if you meet a man’ argument [because] … yes … let’s make life decisions on the chance a man comes into the picture,” another commenter wrote sarcastically.
One TikTok user said they were shocked that Olivia left the doctor’s office and encouraged her to not give up.
“How do you just leave after this??” the user wrote. “I can’t imagine a doctor denying my request just because they said so??? It hurts my brain, please keep pushing it!”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Tubal ligation is a birth control procedure where fallopian tubes are either “blocked or cut” as a means to prevent sperm from meeting an egg, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Candidates for tubal ligation include adult women who are in a “stable relationship” where both partners don’t want kids, have a health condition that pregnancy makes a serious health risk or don’t wish to pass on a genetic disorder, John Hopkins states on its website.
If a patient is deemed a fit for tubal ligation, an OB/GYN will discuss next steps in the process. (iStock)
In Massachusetts, where Olivia lives, according to her TikTok bio, there’s no age requirement for tube tying. However, women who wish to use a federal insurance (like Medicaid) to cover the cost of the procedure must be at least 21 years of age to undergo the procedure, according to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services.
Tubal ligation requirements may vary by state and depend on a patient’s insurance coverage plan or personal funds. Still, many women have vented – claiming that it’s difficult to find a doctor to agree to do the procedure when they’re young or haven’t had a child.
The child-free hashtag on TikTok – which has more than 334.9 million views – is one place where women have relayed their experiences.
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS
Women have also turned to the child-free subreddit to share their stories. The online community has more than 1.4 million members.
In an October 2020 report from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, data on “Current Contraceptive Status Among Women” ages 15 to 49 in the U.S. (2017–2019) showed 18.1% of women have turned to female sterilization as a form of birth control.
Cortney Moore is an associate lifestyle writer/producer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent on Twitter at @CortneyMoore716.
