Introduction -- A vasectomy can be a viable birth control option for those
men who are looking for a permanent solution. Patients should be aware that
there is a small risk that the vas deferens might spontaneously reconnect. The
vasectomy failure rate is largely attributed, however, to the fact that patients
don't follow orders from their vasectomy doctor. Patients are urged to use
alternate birth control until the vasectomy effectiveness has been tested in a
semen sample. There may be complications such as infection, pain, and swelling,
which the patient should be aware of. The surgery's main benefit is that it
offers permanent sterilization in a far simpler and less expensive form than
female sterilization procedures. Patients must weigh their options and decide if
this surgery is right for them.
Something You Should Know if You Are Considering a Vasectomy
Some doctors say that a vasectomy cannot be reversed. If you are a man
considering having a vasectomy done as a form of birth control, you must keep in
mind that the procedure may be permanent. If you are a young man and want to
have children in the future then a vasectomy may not be the best form of birth
control for you.
Drawbacks
There are drawbacks to having a vasectomy done. First there is a small
percentage, a bit over 1 in 1000, that the vasa deferentia may grow back and
make it possible for you to father a child. It’s a small percentage but it can
happen. Another drawback is that it is still possible to father children up to 8
weeks after having a vasectomy. So during that time, and possibly longer if the
tests your doctor performs at 6 and 8 weeks say there is still viable sperm, you
will have to use an alternate method of birth control.
Also, a vasectomy does not provide protection against STD’s or HIV, so you may
still have to use a condom. A final set of draw backs, although not ones many
doctors are considering too seriously just yet, are the possibility that having
a vasectomy might increase your risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, testicular
cancer, and prostate cancer. So far there are no studies which back up these
concerns, but experts are beginning to voice them.
Possible Complications
In addition to the drawbacks previously mentioned there are some possible
complications that can occur should you choose to use this procedure as your
birth control option. These are infection, inflammation, scrotal pain, and
bleeding inside the scrotum. If you suffer from any of the following symptoms,
difficulty urinating, a lump in the scrotum, swelling that does not go down and
worsens, and finally running a fever after having this birth control procedure,
it is recommended you see a doctor immediately.
The Benefits
One of the main benefits, particularly if you are in a monogamous relationship,
is that neither you nor your partner will have to be concerned about unprotected
sex resulting in a child. Another is that it is far less expensive as a
permanent birth control option than the sister procedure, tubal ligation, for
women. Part of the reason for this is that the procedure can be done in a
doctor’s office or at a family planning clinic, and as such there is no hospital
stay which reduces the cost considerably.
Vasectomy as a birth control option isn’t for everyone. However, if you and your
partner have already had all the children you want, or your partner has a health
condition which makes her getting pregnant dangerous, or either one or both of
you cannot or are unwilling to use another form of birth control, then this
surgical procedure may be the option for you.