July 9, 2020 | The topic of birth control is one that should be discussed early and often between a couple. The exact method each couple employs will depend on their comfort level and their desire to have children at some point in their relationship. One of the safest and most permanent forms of male birth control in a vasectomy, a surgical procedure that involves cutting the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles. Every year roughly half a million men undergo this procedure, which is considered the most effective methods of birth control due to its long-term success rate of over 99 percent. According to the American Urological Association, only 1 to 2 women out of every 1,000 end up pregnant within a year after their partner receives a vasectomy. The primary reason for a vasectomy is a decision that the couple has had all the children they intend to have, although some men may have one due to problems the couple may have had with other methods of birth control.

July 9, 2020 | What are some of the advantages of having a vasectomy compared to other methods of birth control? For one, the procedure is done on an outpatient basis with a low risk of complications and side effects. Recovery from a vasectomy is pretty easy. According to the National Library of Medicine, most men return to work two to three days after the surgery, and can resume physical activity up to 2 weeks. The cost of a vasectomy is a great deal less than the alternative for a woman, a tubal ligation, and it is cheaper than the long-term costs of birth control medications for women. Despite what you may have heard, a vasectomy will not affect a man’s sex drive or their masculinity in any way. There are some drawbacks, however. A vasectomy does not provide protection against sexually transmitted diseases so condoms may continue to be needed. The patient may feel minor pain and pulling or tugging during surgery, but severe pain is rare.

July 9, 2020 | A vasectomy is an outpatient procedure done under local anesthesia. The surgery requires small incisions in the scrotum to locate the vas deferens, the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles. The tubes are then cut, tied or blocked. Some men receive a no-scalpel vasectomy where, instead of cutting the skin of the scrotum, very tiny holes are made. The vas deferens are pulled through the holes and tied off and cut. A no-scalpel vasectomy does not require stitches. After the surgery, the patient can expect to have some bruising, swelling and pain, but it usually gets better after a few days. Ice packs on the site of the surgery should be applied for the first two days. Physical activity should be avoided for at least a week, overdoing it could cause pain or bleeding inside the scrotum. Redness, continuing pain or swelling along with a temperature of more than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit may be signs of an infection and will require immediate attention.

July 9, 2020 | A vasectomy is a highly effective form of birth control but it doesn’t provide immediate protection against pregnancy. It’s important to use an alternative form of birth control until your doctor confirms there are no sperm in your semen. Before having unprotected sex, you’ll need to wait several months or longer and ejaculate 15 to 20 times or more to clear any sperm from your semen. It takes about three months to completely clear the sperm out of a man’s reproductive system. A man should use another type of birth control until his physician tells him there are no longer any sperm in his semen. And as effective as a vasectomy is in preventing an unwanted pregnancy, it won’t protect you or your partner from sexually transmitted infections, such as chlamydia or HIV. For that reason, you should use other forms of protection, such as condoms, if you are at risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted infection, even after you have a vasectomy.

July 9, 2020 | Men who have a vasectomy before the age of 30 are the group most likely to want a vasectomy reversal in the future. According to UAMS urologist Bruno Machado, a man may decide to have a reversal for a number of reasons, including loss of a child, a change of heart or remarriage. A small number of men have a reversal to treat testicular pain that may be linked to a vasectomy. The procedure, which involves reconnecting each tube that carries sperm from a testicle into the semen, is usually done on an outpatient basis using general anesthesia. It may take several months to a year for a woman to get pregnant after vasectomy reversal. Some women get pregnant in the first few months, while others may take years. Pregnancy rates can depend on the amount of time between the vasectomy and reversal. Sperm return to the semen faster and pregnancy rates are highest when the reversal is done sooner after the vasectomy.