Vasectomy facts
*Vasectomy facts medically edited by: Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
Vasectomy overview
A vasectomy (pronounced va-SEK-tuh-mee) is a surgical procedure performed as a method of birth control in men. It involves cutting the tubes (the vas deferens, pronounced VAS DEF-uh-renz) that carry sperm from the testicles.
Vasectomy is one of the most effective forms of birth control. Only about 15 of every 10,000 couples get pregnant in the year after the man has a vasectomy.
As part of a program of research on the safety and effectiveness of male contraceptives, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) supports studies and other activities advancing understanding of vasectomy.
What is vasectomy?
A vasectomy is a surgical procedure performed as a method of birth control. It involves cutting the vas deferens (pronounced VAS DEF-uh-renz) in order to close off the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles (there is one vas deferens per testicle). If a man has a vasectomy, he can no longer get a woman pregnant.1 Sperm are made in the two testicles, which are inside the scrotum. Sperm is stored in a tube attached to each testicle called the epididymis (pronounced ep-i-DID-uh-mis). When a man ejaculates, the sperm travel from the epididymis, through the vas deferens, and then mix with seminal fluid to form semen. The semen then travels through the urethra (pronounced yoo-REE-thruh) and out the penis. Before a vasectomy, semen contains sperm and seminal fluid. After a vasectomy, sperm are no longer in the semen.2 The man's testicles will make less sperm over time, and his body will absorb any sperm that are made.3
How is a vasectomy done?
A vasectomy is usually performed in the office of urologist, a doctor who specializes in the male urinary tract and reproductive system. In some cases, the urologist may decide to do a vasectomy in an outpatient surgery center or a hospital. This could be because of patient anxiety or because other procedures will be done at the same time.2
There are two ways to perform a vasectomy. In either case, the patient is awake during the procedure, but the urologist uses a local anesthetic to numb the scrotum.
With the conventional method, the doctor makes one or two small cuts in the scrotum to access the vas deferens. A small section of the vas deferens is cut out and then removed. The urologist may cauterize (seal with heat) the ends and then tie the ends with stitches. The doctor will then perform the same procedure on the other testicle, either through the same opening or through a second scrotal incision. For both testicles, when the vas deferens has been tied off, the doctor will use a few stitches or skin "glue" to close the opening(s) in the scrotum.
With the "no-scalpel" method, a small puncture hole is made on one side of the scrotum. The health care provider will find the vas deferens under the skin and pull it through the hole. The vas deferens is then cut and a small section is removed. The ends are either cauterized or tied off and then put back in place. The procedure is then performed on the other testicle. No stitches are needed with this method because the puncture holes are so small.1,3
After a vasectomy, most men go home the same day and fully recover in less than a week.
How effective is vasectomy?
Vasectomy is one of the most effective forms of birth control. In the first year after vasectomy, only 15 to 20 of every 10,000 couples will experience a pregnancy.1,2 In comparison, 1,400 of every 10,000 couples have a pregnancy each year using condoms, and 500 of every 10,000 couples experience a pregnancy each year using oral contraceptive pills.4
However, a vasectomy is not effective right away. You still need to use other birth control until the remaining sperm are cleared out of the semen. This takes 15 to 20 ejaculations, or about 3 months. Even then, 1 of every 5 men will still have sperm in his semen and will need to wait longer for the sperm to clear.2
Your health care provider will check your semen for sperm at least once after the surgery. Once the sperm count has dropped to zero, it is safe to assume your vasectomy is now an effective form of birth control.2,5 Until that time, you need to use another form of birth control to make sure your partner does not become pregnant.
What are the risks of vasectomy?
Although vasectomy is safe and highly effective, men should be aware of problems that could occur after surgery and over time.1
Surgical RisksAfter surgery, most men have discomfort, bruising, and some swelling, all of which usually go away within 2 weeks. Problems that can occur after surgery and need to be checked by a health care provider include:
The risk of other problems is small, but they do occur. These include:
Will vasectomy affect my sex life?
Vasectomy will not affect your sex life. It does not decrease your sex drive because it does not affect the production of the male hormone testosterone. It also does not affect your ability to get an erection or ejaculate semen. Because the sperm make up a very small amount of the semen, you will not notice a difference in the amount of semen you ejaculate.2,8
Is vasectomy linked to cancer?
Research shows that vasectomy does not increase a man's risk of cancer. Some studies in the 1990s found that men who had undergone vasectomy had higher rates of prostate cancer. However, findings from more recent studies have conclusively shown no link between vasectomy and prostate cancer. Indeed, men who have vasectomy are no more likely to get prostate cancer than men who do not have vasectomy.9 Vasectomy also does not increase a man's risk of testicular cancer.7
Does having a vasectomy change my risk for sexually transmitted diseases?
A vasectomy does not protect you from getting or passing on any sexually transmitted disease (STD), including HIV. You must still use condoms or another barrier method to protect yourself from STDs.
What is vasectomy?
A vasectomy is a surgical procedure performed as a method of birth control. It involves cutting the vas deferens (pronounced VAS DEF-uh-renz) in order to close off the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles (there is one vas deferens per testicle). If a man has a vasectomy, he can no longer get a woman pregnant.1 Sperm are made in the two testicles, which are inside the scrotum. Sperm is stored in a tube attached to each testicle called the epididymis (pronounced ep-i-DID-uh-mis). When a man ejaculates, the sperm travel from the epididymis, through the vas deferens, and then mix with seminal fluid to form semen. The semen then travels through the urethra (pronounced yoo-REE-thruh) and out the penis. Before a vasectomy, semen contains sperm and seminal fluid. After a vasectomy, sperm are no longer in the semen.2 The man's testicles will make less sperm over time, and his body will absorb any sperm that are made.3
How is a vasectomy done?
A vasectomy is usually performed in the office of urologist, a doctor who specializes in the male urinary tract and reproductive system. In some cases, the urologist may decide to do a vasectomy in an outpatient surgery center or a hospital. This could be because of patient anxiety or because other procedures will be done at the same time.2
There are two ways to perform a vasectomy. In either case, the patient is awake during the procedure, but the urologist uses a local anesthetic to numb the scrotum.
With the conventional method, the doctor makes one or two small cuts in the scrotum to access the vas deferens. A small section of the vas deferens is cut out and then removed. The urologist may cauterize (seal with heat) the ends and then tie the ends with stitches. The doctor will then perform the same procedure on the other testicle, either through the same opening or through a second scrotal incision. For both testicles, when the vas deferens has been tied off, the doctor will use a few stitches or skin "glue" to close the opening(s) in the scrotum.
With the "no-scalpel" method, a small puncture hole is made on one side of the scrotum. The health care provider will find the vas deferens under the skin and pull it through the hole. The vas deferens is then cut and a small section is removed. The ends are either cauterized or tied off and then put back in place. The procedure is then performed on the other testicle. No stitches are needed with this method because the puncture holes are so small.1,3
After a vasectomy, most men go home the same day and fully recover in less than a week.
How effective is vasectomy?
Vasectomy is one of the most effective forms of birth control. In the first year after vasectomy, only 15 to 20 of every 10,000 couples will experience a pregnancy.1,2 In comparison, 1,400 of every 10,000 couples have a pregnancy each year using condoms, and 500 of every 10,000 couples experience a pregnancy each year using oral contraceptive pills.4
However, a vasectomy is not effective right away. You still need to use other birth control until the remaining sperm are cleared out of the semen. This takes 15 to 20 ejaculations, or about 3 months. Even then, 1 of every 5 men will still have sperm in his semen and will need to wait longer for the sperm to clear.2
Your health care provider will check your semen for sperm at least once after the surgery. Once the sperm count has dropped to zero, it is safe to assume your vasectomy is now an effective form of birth control.2,5 Until that time, you need to use another form of birth control to make sure your partner does not become pregnant.
What are the risks of vasectomy?
Although vasectomy is safe and highly effective, men should be aware of problems that could occur after surgery and over time.1
Surgical RisksAfter surgery, most men have discomfort, bruising, and some swelling, all of which usually go away within 2 weeks. Problems that can occur after surgery and need to be checked by a health care provider include:
The risk of other problems is small, but they do occur. These include:
Will vasectomy affect my sex life?
Vasectomy will not affect your sex life. It does not decrease your sex drive because it does not affect the production of the male hormone testosterone. It also does not affect your ability to get an erection or ejaculate semen. Because the sperm make up a very small amount of the semen, you will not notice a difference in the amount of semen you ejaculate.2,8
Is vasectomy linked to cancer?
Research shows that vasectomy does not increase a man's risk of cancer. Some studies in the 1990s found that men who had undergone vasectomy had higher rates of prostate cancer. However, findings from more recent studies have conclusively shown no link between vasectomy and prostate cancer. Indeed, men who have vasectomy are no more likely to get prostate cancer than men who do not have vasectomy.9 Vasectomy also does not increase a man's risk of testicular cancer.7
Does having a vasectomy change my risk for sexually transmitted diseases?
A vasectomy does not protect you from getting or passing on any sexually transmitted disease (STD), including HIV. You must still use condoms or another barrier method to protect yourself from STDs.
Source: http://www.rxlist.com
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