Vasectomy

How is a vasectomy performed?

A vasectomy is a permanent form of birth control, in which a man does not release sperm at the time of ejaculation. With no sperm being released, pregnancy cannot occur.

Procedure

A vasectomy takes approximately 30 minutes to perform and can be done in the doctor’s office. Because the procedure is done as an outpatient surgery, hospitalization is not necessary. For a traditional vasectomy, the man will be given IV medication to control anxiety, which will cause drowsiness. The testicles and scrotum are then cleaned with an antiseptic solution and the doctor locates the vas deferens. A local anesthetic is injected to numb the area for pain control. One or two small cuts are made in the scrotum and both vas deferens tubes are cut. The ends are then tied, stitched or burned. Stitches are placed to close the skin of the scrotum, which will dissolve on their own with no further medical treatment.

Recovery

After the surgery is completed, the scrotum will remain numb for approximately 2 hours. Doctors recommend using cold packs on the area to relieve swelling. Wearing tight fitted underwear will decrease pain. Most men will experience pain for a few days after the surgery, but can return to work within 2-3 days. It is common to experience mild pain in the testicles during sexual activity for several months after the surgery.

Benefits and Success Rate

A vasectomy provides a permanent form of birth control and is 99.85% effective at preventing pregnancy. Having a vasectomy does not affect a man’s sex drive, ability to ejaculate or sexual performance. The amount of ejaculation will remain the same. However, for approximately 2 months after the surgery, an alternate form of birth control is required to prevent pregnancy. A zero sperm count is necessary to prevent pregnancy, which will not occur until all sperm have been released during ejaculation or reabsorbed into the body. A vasectomy is considered easier and cheaper than a tubal ligation, with less complications and recovery time.

Risks and Complications

Although complications after a vasectomy are low, they do occasionally occur. Some men experience bleeding under the skin or develop an infection where the scrotum was cut. The tubes that carry sperm from the testicles can become inflamed, which can be treated with pain medication and rest. Rarely, the vas deferens can grow back together and the man will be fertile and able to fertilize a female’s egg. A vasectomy does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases and a condom should still be worn during any type of sexual activity.

Comments: Vasectomy

Comments 1 to 5 of about 5.

mtnwoman(shelly) - 946 days ago.
Well, the DH is going under the knife this Thursday and he is a bit nervous. But we are so ready for it to be done as well! Hope it all goes well for him with little to no pain. Fingers crossed!

lmv@2010 - 971 days ago.
My Bf Had a Vasectomy because of his first wife and now that he have been married 2 different times and it never worked out and he has happy to have the vasectomy now we want more children :( but whe dont know where to go to get the reversal but we cant find any reasonable prices for the reversal i think the nowest i have found was 6k but some sites say 4k i wouldnt mind paying 4k but does anyone know a good doctor. we are willing to travel as long as its not over sea's.

TNMom - 1037 days ago.
My dh had a vasectomy nearly 1 1/2 years ago after the birth of our 4th dd. He's been experiencing some pain on one side and one possible cause is it reattaching. Funnily enough, we both kind of have the urge for one more, so we're going to BD this month and see what happens. I've always been VERY fertile, so this could be interesting. My fertile days should be 7/26-7/30. Hopefully if I do get pg, we'll finally get our boy!!

PregoMamaAZ - 1407 days ago.
My husband had a vasectomy about 5 years ago. 7 months ago he had a reversal and we are now expecting another baby. We are newly married and his prior decision to have the vasectomy was largely based on his life situation at the time. I think vasectomies are done way too often and men are not properly counseled before the procedure.

snipdad - 1470 days ago.
Hello....I am a huge proponent of getting a vasectomy, having been snipped myself recently..my wife loves it, I love it, and it has COMPLETELY changed our sex lives! I am writing a book...a vasectomy guide for couples.., and I am looking for contributors....if any of you out there have any great vasectomy stories, or you are trying to convince your man to get one...please feel free to share! Send your comments to .....getsnippednow@gmail.com THANKS!!! Snipdad