Vasectomy

Vasectomy or male sterilization is minor surgery to cut a man’s vas deferens or spermatic tube. It is typically performed in a physician’s office with local anesthesia. It is permanent and difficult to reverse.

How Does It Work?
Vasectomy cuts the tubes that carry the sperm from a man’s testes to the seminal vesicles where the ejaculate is formed. The ejaculate forms normally but contains no sperm.

Effectiveness
Vasectomy is the most effective form of birth control. For every 1000 men that have had a vasectomy, only 2 will cause a pregnancy each year.

Advantages
Vasectomy is a permanent form of birth control for men who are sure they want no more children. It is less expensive than female sterilization and is usually performed in a physician’s office. Like female sterilization, it:

• Does not interfere with love making or sexual pleasure
• Has no lasting side effects
• Is less expensive in the long run than monthly forms of contraceptives

Disadvantages
Rarely the tubes may reconnect causing a pregnancy.

Occasionally, small lumps or granulomas may form near the testes and require medical treatment.

Side Effects
With vasectomy there will be some pain and swelling at the small incision sites that will last for a few days but will not be incapacitating. Rarely there may be an allergic reaction to the local anesthetic.

Men who think they may want children in the future should not have a vasectomy.