Vasectomy - Is It For You?

One very effective form of birth control is for the male partner to have a vasectomy performed. This is an operation that makes the man permanently unable to get a woman pregnant. It involves cutting tubes in the scrotum to ensure that the sperm can't get into the semen. While it is highly effective, it is important to understand that it's relatively irreversible and it doesn't protect against STDs.

The Vasectomy Procedure

A vasectomy is performed in a doctor's office or in an outpatient surgery center. It takes only a half hour to perform and the patient is awake during the entire procedure. You'll have a local anesthetic to number your scrotum. Once you are numb, the doctor will cut a small incision on one side of your scrotum and will pull out part of the vas deferens on that side. The ends of the vas deferens will then be stitched shut, seared shut with heat, or shut with another method. The same procedure will then be done on the other scrotum. These openings will be stitched closed and the stitches will disappear on their own within three to ten days. Today, some doctors do a no-scalpel vasectomy, which means that the procedure is performed with a tiny puncture in the scrotum instead of an incision. This puncture heals without any stitches and this procedure is less invasive than is the regular vasectomy.

After the Procedure

When the procedure is finished, the doctor will have you lie down for a few hours with an ice pack on your scrotum. You may experience some bruising in the area, which should slowly lighten and go away after about two weeks. You should feel back to normal within a couple of weeks, but should take it easy for those first few weeks. You should not take certain medicines for two weeks before and after the surgery, as they can thin the blood and cause extra bleeding. These medicines include aspirin, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and naproxen. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) should fine to relieve the pain. Speak to your doctor for more details about your pain relief options.

When Will the Vasectomy Work?

While many people think that the vasectomy works right away, it actually does not. You will have to ejaculate 15 to 20 times before the sperm will be cleared from both of the vas deferens. Your doctor will actually ask you to bring samples of your ejaculation as part of your follow-up to check that you have no more sperm in the semen. Once you have two sperm-free samples, it will be assumed that you can no longer get a woman pregnant. This can take as long as three months, so you need to continue using another form of birth control for that length of time.

Vasectomy Risks

You may have bleeding, infection and inflammation after the vasectomy. You'll need to be in touch with your doctor if you have a fever, swelling that gets worse, trouble urinating, lumps forming in your scrotum, and bleeding from the incision that won't stop after ten minutes of pinching the site with gauze.

Vasectomy is considered a permanent form of birth control, and it's important to seriously consider your options before undergoing this procedure. As long as you understand the risks involved, and the consequences of the vasectomy, you can make an educated decision for yourself.