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WHAT IS A VASECTOMY?

Vasectomy, or male sterilization, is the operation which blocks the tubes (called the vas deferens) which carry a man's sperm to the outside.? It is performed in an office or clinic and involves cutting and tying off or cauterizing (burning) the vas deferens ? the tubes that transport sperm out of the scrotum (sac) from the testicles.? This operation should be considered permanent.? You must be certain you want no more children and will not change your mind.? It is important to have your semen checked to be certain that there are no motile (moving) sperm.? This may be repeated every few years to make this the most effective of all approaches to birth control.? But remember no method of contraception is 100% effective. Complete information about this surgical procedure is available through your clinician.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES?

• A vasectomy is a minor operation.? It is safe, extremely effective, and permanent.
• It is excellent for men in a stable relationship who have had all the children they want.
• A vasectomy is less expensive and causes fewer complications than tubal than tubal?sterilization.
• Any time, even years later, you can have your semen checked to see if your operation is "still working"? Used in this manner, vasectomy can be virtually 100% effective.
• A vasectomy gives the man the opportunity to play a responsible role in the contraceptive process.
• It does not affect a man's ability to enjoy sexual intercourse.

WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES?

• A vasectomy requires surgery. Some men are afriad of having an operation on their testicles.
• Some men fear the operation will affect their ability to have intercourse or will interfere with erection.
• There is some pain or discomfort and scrotal discoloring (usually not severe) for several days after the operation. Pain can usually be relieved with mild pain medications. Keep an ice pack on the scrotum for at least 4 hours to reduce the chances of swelling, bleeding and discomfort.
• Wear a scrotal support for 2 days (jockey shorts will be adequate).
• Severe chronic pain occurs in 2% of men following a vasectomy. It is usually limited to less than one year.
• The operation is not effective immediately. You will need to use condoms until the sperm clears from the tubes (15 -20 ejaculations). To find out if you are sterile, have your semen examined under a microscope after about 15 ejaculations.
• Regret after vasectomy is greater if the man's partner is under 25, if he divorces or remarries, if a child dies, or when the vasectomy is done immediately after a new baby. About 1% of men who have a vasectomy later on request that it be reversed.
• The operation to reverse a vasectomy does not always work. It is highly technical, expensive, and its results cannot be guaranteed.
• Vasectomy provides no protection against sexual transmitted infections including HIV (the AIDS virus).

WHERE DO I GO TO GET THIS OPERATION?

• Most urologists, many family practitioners and some nurse practitioners perform vasectomies.
• You can get a referal to a clinician who does vasectomies from your primary care clinician, health department, family planning clinic or local medical society. Go to the national organization involved in sterilization training and service (Engender Health) at www.engenderhealth.org

SUMMARY: Although vasectomy is safer and potentially more effective than tubal sterilization, as of mid-2000, there are only 4 nations in the world where vasectomies exceed tubal sterilizations:? Great Britain, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Bhutan.

It is important for men who have a vasectomy to use contraceptives until there are no motile moving) sperm in their semen.? Repeat semen analysis in the years following a vasectomy confirm that the method is still working.