What you need to know about a vasectomy before deciding on one

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

This is an operation that a doctor can refuse.

What is a vasectomy

Vasectomy Vasectomy (male sterilization) is a procedure in which a doctor will cut the vas deferens.

The task of the vas deferens is simple: during sexual arousal, they contract and pump out mature sperm from the testicles, where they are stored. Further, sperm move along the ejaculatory tract, mixing with fluid from the seminal vesicles, prostate and bulbourethral glands. This is how the seminal fluid is obtained - ejaculate.

If the ducts are cut, ejaculate will also form. However, the sperm does not get into it. That is, fertilization during intercourse becomes impossible.

Who needs a vasectomy

The only reason a vasectomy is done is for the birth control Vasectomy. After this operation, a man in the vast majority of cases becomes infertile.

Therefore, the procedure can be a convenient solution for strong couples who are firmly convinced that they are not going to have children. Partners will be able to have sex without thinking about contraception and without fear of one day seeing two strips on a pharmacy pregnancy test.

This is justified, for example, if a man and a woman are carriers of genetic diseases and do not want to risk passing on their genes to the unborn child. Or they already have many children and parental ambitions are fully satisfied.

Of course, a woman can also go through sterilization - ligation of the fallopian tubes. But such an operation is much more complicated and expensive.

What not to expect from a vasectomy

This operation protects the man from the risk of becoming a father. But it does not save you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at all. Therefore, you will have to use a condom even after a vasectomy - unless you are completely confident in your partner's health.

What will happen to sex after a vasectomy

Cutting the vas deferens does not affect your sex life in any way. The man will still be able to experience sexual desire, he will have a normal erection, full orgasm and ejaculation. And even more.

Some men assure Vasectomy that after the vasectomy, their orgasms have become more tangible and vivid, and the level of sexual satisfaction has increased.

In the semen, there will only be no sperm. This is the only difference between sex before and after a vasectomy.

Things to Consider Before You Decide on a Vasectomy

Not everyone does a vasectomy

The Federal Law "On the Fundamentals of Health Protection of Citizens in the Russian Federation" allows Article 57. Medical sterilization to perform medical sterilization only for men over 35 years old or with two or more children. Also, the operation is possible for medical reasons: subject to strictly defined serious illnesses.

In other countries, a vasectomy can be done at will. But when you come to the doctor for the first time (and there will be several visits in any case), the doctor will certainly ask you a few Vasectomy questions:

• Do you understand that a vasectomy may be irreversible?
• Are you sure that you definitely do not want to have a child in the future?
• Do you have any children?
• How does your regular partner feel about the idea of having a vasectomy (if you're in a relationship)?
• Do you know of other, less categorical methods of birth control and why do you think vasectomy is the best option?

In addition, they will tell you in detail how the operation will take place and what consequences it may have. If at some stage your answers raise doubts on the part of the doctor, you may be refused the procedure, recommending to look for another clinic.

Vasectomy doesn't work right away

Even though the vas deferens is cut, some sperm may remain in the ejaculatory tract. They come out with sperm gradually.

The sperm will disappear after you ejaculate about 20 times.

Until then, you will have to use condoms or other methods of contraception.

To ensure that the surgery was successful, your doctor will ask you to have a semen control test 6 to 12 weeks after the procedure. The ejaculate is examined under a microscope to look for sperm.

How is a vasectomy done?

It is quick and not scary: the operation is performed under local anesthesia, is completely painless and takes no more than 20-30 minutes. It is performed by a surgeon or urologist with the right to work in a surgical office. A vasectomy looks like this Vasectomy:

• The doctor will inject the anesthetic into the skin on your scrotum. After that, the operation area will be numb and you will not feel any touch.
• In the upper part of the scrotum, the surgeon will make a small incision or puncture (in this case, they speak of an operation "without a scalpel") and remove a segment of the vas deferens through it.
• The duct is cut with a scalpel and the wound is treated: bandaged, cauterized, or using surgical clips.
• The surgeon will then return the section of the vas deferens back to the scrotum and suture or glue the incision.

How is recovery from a vasectomy going?

After your surgery is complete, you will be told how to care for yourself for the next few days. Typically, recommendations include:

• Rest for at least 24 hours. Ideal - bed rest and a minimum of physical activity.
• Restrictions on physical activity for 7 days. You can walk, work and do everyday activities, but running and other sports, lifting weights are contraindicated.
• The need to wear a bandage and tight-fitting underwear for 48 hours after surgery.
• No sex for a week.
• Cold compresses. For the first two days, it is recommended to regularly apply a heating pad with cold water or an ice pack wrapped in a thin cloth to the scrotum. This helps to reduce postoperative pain and reduce the risk of inflammation.

A week after the procedure, you will fully recover and be able to return to your normal life, full of sports and sexual activity.

Can a vasectomy be canceled?

Can. Sometimes the reverse procedure is also carried out - stitching the vas deferens. But it does not guarantee that reproductive function will recover.

If the reverse operation is performed within 10 years after the vasectomy, the success rate for Vasectomy (male sterilisation) is 55%. Then the chances are reduced to 25%.

In any case, such an intervention is more difficult and more expensive than a conventional vasectomy. Therefore, the best option is to immediately accept the idea that the operation is irreversible, and think carefully before deciding on it.