Vasectomy

What is a Vasectomy

A vasectomy is considered a permanent method of birth control for men

Vasectomy is a simple operation designed to make a man sterile, or unable to biologically father a child. 

Vasectomy involves blocking the tubes through which sperm pass into the semen.

How Common Are Vasectomies?

Vasectomy has been used for about a century as a means of sterilization. It has a long track record as a safe and effective method of contraception and is relied upon by millions of people throughout the world. 

Roughly 5 percent of all married couples of reproductive age have Vasectomies. In comparison, about 15 percent of couples rely on female sterilization for birth control.

The prevalence of men undergoing the procedure increases with higher levels of education and income.

How a Vasectomy Works

Vasectomy is a minor surgical procedure to block the tubes (vasa deferentia of a man) to prevent sperm from entering the seminal stream (ejaculate).

Sperm are produced in a man’s testis and stored in an adjacent structure known as the epididymis. During sexual climax, the sperm move from the epididymis through a tube called the vas deferens and mix with other components of semen to form the fluid that is ejaculated (ejaculate). 

All vasectomy techniques involve cutting or otherwise blocking both the left and right vas deferens, so that the man’s ejaculate will no longer contain sperm, and he will not be able to make a woman pregnant.

How is a Vasectomy Performed? 

Conventional Method

Your doctor makes one or two small incisions, or cuts, in the skin of the scrotum, which has been numbed with a local anaesthetic.

The vas is cut, and a small piece may be removed. Next, the doctor ties the cut ends and sews up the scrotal incision. The entire procedure is then repeated on the other side. 

Non Surgical Method

The so-called non-surgical or no- scalpel vasectomy involves your doctor feeling for the vas under the skin of the scrotum and holding it in place with a small clamp. A special instrument is then used to make a tiny puncture in the skin and stretch the opening so the Vas can be cut and tied. This approach produces very little bleeding, and no stitches are needed to close the punctures, which heal quickly by themselves. 

This method also causes less pain and fewer complications than conventional vasectomy 

Vasectomy Vs Female Sterilization? 

Regardless of how it is performed, vasectomy offers many advantages as a method of birth control. Like female sterilization, it is a highly effective one-time procedure that provides permanent contraception. 

Vasectomy, however, is medically much simpler than female sterilization, has a lower incidence of complications, and is much less expensive. What happens after vasectomy? 

Recovery After a Vasectomy

After vasectomy, the patient will probably feel sore for a few days, and he should rest for at least one day. However, he can expect to recover completely in less than a week. Many men have the procedure on a Friday and return to work on Monday.

Risks With Vasectomy

Although complications such as swelling, bruising, inflammation, and infection may occur, they are relatively uncommon and almost never serious.  Nevertheless, men who develop these symptoms at any time should inform their physician. 

How Soon Can You Have Sex After a Vasectomy? 

A man can resume sexual activity within a few days after vasectomy, but precautions should be taken against pregnancy until a test shows that his semen is free of sperm. 

Generally, this test is performed after the patient has had 10-20 post-vasectomy ejaculations. If sperm are still present in the semen, the patient is told to return later for a repeat test. 

A rare postoperative side effect of vasectomy is epididymitis/orchitis (defined as painful, swollen, and tender epididymis or testis). This condition can be treated with heat and usually clears within a week

What Are The Disadvantages Of Vasectomy?

The chief advantage of vasectomy—its permanence—is also its chief disadvantage. The procedure itself is simple, but reversing it is difficult, expensive, and often unsuccessful. 

How About Storing Semen In A Sperm Bank? 

It is possible to store semen in a sperm bank to preserve the possibility of producing a pregnancy at some future date. However, this can be costly, and the sperm in stored semen do not always remain able to cause pregnancy. 

When Should The Decision About Vasectomy Be Made? 

Doctors advise that vasectomy be undertaken only by men who are prepared to accept the fact that they will no longer be able to father a child. The decision should be considered along with other contraceptive options and discussed with a professional counsellor. 

Men who are married or in a serious relationship should also discuss the issue with their partners. 

Does Vasectomy Protect Against HIV and Other STDs? 

Although the procedure is extremely effective in preventing pregnancy, vasectomy does not offer any protection whatsoever against HIV/AIDS or any other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Consequently, it is important that vasectomized men continue to use condoms, preferably latex, which offer considerable protection against the spread of disease, in any sexual encounter that carries the risk of contracting or transmitting infection. 

How Does Vasectomy Affect Masculinity And Sexuality? 

Not at all. Vasectomy has no effect on the production or release of testosterone, the male hormone responsible for a man’s sex drive, beard, deep voice, and other masculine traits. The operation also has no effect on sexuality. 

Erections, climaxes, and the amount of ejaculate remain the same. Occasionally, a man may experience sexual difficulties after vasectomy, but these almost always have an emotional basis and can usually be alleviated with counselling.

More often, men who have undergone the procedure, and their partners, find that sex is more spontaneous and enjoyable once they are freed from concerns about contraception and accidental pregnancy. 

Are There Immune Reactions To Sperm After Vasectomy? 

After vasectomy, the testes continue to make sperm. When the sperm cells die, they are absorbed by the body, much like unused sperm in a non-vasectomized man. 

Nevertheless, many vasectomized men develop immune reactions to sperm, although current evidence indicates that these reactions do not cause any harm. 

Ordinarily, sperm do not come in contact with immune cells, so they do not elicit an immune response. But vasectomy breaches the barriers that separate immune cells from sperm, and many men develop anti-sperm antibodies after undergoing the procedure. Immune reactions against parts of one’s own body sometimes cause disease. (Rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile diabetes, and multiple sclerosis are some of the illnesses suspected or known to be caused by immune reactions of this type, as well as possibly contributing to the development of atherosclerosis) 

Researchers have found no evidence that vasectomized men were more likely than others to develop heart disease or any other immune illnesses. 

Is There An Increased Risk Of Prostate Cancer After Vasectomy? 

Many studies show no increase in cancer among vasectomized men, even though three separate hospital-based studies published in 1990 reported a positive correlation between vasectomy and prostate cancer.

This was evaluated by the WHO as well as possible associations between vasectomy and testicular cancer.  The assembled experts concluded that a causal relationship between vasectomy and cancer of either the prostate or testis was unlikely. This has been reinforced by additional studies of vasectomized men.