Vasectomy Care

Vasectomy is a form of male birth control that has no impact on your sex drive. UI Health Care's vasectomy experts offer you a range of options, including the latest minimally invasive technique.

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Safe, effective male birth control

A vasectomy is a safe and effective form of male birth control. It is a minor surgical procedure that usually takes less than an hour to perform. Most men who have a vasectomy can return to their normal sex life in about two weeks.

A vasectomy prevents pregnancy by stopping sperm from exiting the body. It is a good option for men who are certain they don’t want children in the future. Because a vasectomy has implications for you and for your partner, it’s important to include your partner in your decision to have the procedure. Your provider can help you determine if a vasectomy is right for you.

Our vasectomy care team includes a fellowship-trained urologist with decades of experience performing vasectomies, including the latest minimally invasive “no scalpel” approach.

How a vasectomy works

The testicles are connected to a long tube called the vas deferens that transports sperm from the testicles to your urethra so that it can be ejaculated in the semen.

A vasectomy prevents sperm from traveling through the vas deferens by cutting and closing off the tube close to the testicles. This involves making one or more small openings in the scrotum. Once the vas deferens is clipped or tied, it is cut and cauterized, and some tissue is placed between the two ends of the interrupted tube. Your provider will then end the procedure by closing the incision, if necessary.

Since the vas deferens is about 18 inches long, it may take weeks or months for all the sperm to be flushed out from the tube. This is why it is important to complete a semen analysis after a vasectomy to confirm that you have no sperm in your semen before stopping contraception.

Types of vasectomies

The vasectomy procedure can be started in either a conventional or no-scalpel technique:

Conventional vasectomy technique: This involves either one small incision in the middle of the scrotum or two small incisions, one on each side of the scrotum, to access the vas deferens. The incisions will be stitched upon completion.
No-scalpel vasectomy technique: Instead of an incision, a small hole is made in the skin with a sharp surgical instrument and gently stretched to give the provider access to the vas deferens. Because there are no incisions, this method may not need stitches.

During your initial consultation, your provider will help you determine which method is the best option for you.

What to expect

Before the procedure, the specialist will perform a physical examination, review your medical history, and discuss the procedure's risks and benefits.

The vasectomy typically will be completed in the procedure room with local anesthetic to numb the area. If you have special health considerations, your procedure may be performed in an operating room while you are under sedation or general anesthesia. Your provider will discuss this with you during the consultation.

Once the area is numb, the procedure will take 30 to 40 minutes to complete. You should feel no pain, but patients have described a pulling sensation or pressure in the area.

After the procedure, your surgeon will review the post-procedural instructions with you. It is recommended that you wear an athletic supporter while you heal to help reduce pain and discomfort.

Vasectomy recovery

You will feel some discomfort for the first few days following your procedure. Resting, wearing your athletic supporter, and icing the area intermittently will help reduce any minor pain and swelling.

You will have a follow-up appointment three or four weeks after your procedure to see how well you are healing and to discuss any concerns you have. If your wound has healed and you aren’t experiencing any pain, you are welcome to cancel this appointment.

You should wait about a week before returning to more strenuous activities such as working out, and you should allow about two weeks before having intercourse again.

Semen analysis testing to confirm sterilization

You will need to complete a semen analysis 10 to 12 weeks after your vasectomy. You must keep using contraception until you have a semen analysis that shows you no longer have sperm in your semen. If your test comes back positive for sperm, you may be asked to return later for an additional test.

Once you have a post-vasectomy semen analysis that is negative for sperm, you can stop using contraception to prevent pregnancy. Failure to confirm your semen is sperm-free can lead to unwanted pregnancy.

A vasectomy does not prevent sexually transmitted disease (STD). If you believe you are at risk for an STD, you should continue to use contraception.

Bleeding

While usually not life-threatening, bleeding could cause bruising and swelling that can be uncomfortable. It can also form a hematoma, a collection of blood outside the blood vessels that can become a mass. In both cases, the body will usually reabsorb the blood, but it can take weeks.

Infection

As with all surgical procedures, there is a risk of infection in the wound itself and in the testicles.

Pain

While some post-surgical pain is expected, there is a small chance (between 1% and 2 %) that you may develop chronic scrotal pain. This is pain that lasts for an extended period of time, possibly months or years, and can be inconvenient.

Unwanted Pregnancy

Even if you follow your care instructions and test negative for sperm in your semen analysis, there is still a 1 in 2,000 lifetime risk of unwanted pregnancy.

Anti-sperm antibodies

Typically, men have what’s called a blood-testis barrier that prevents sperm from being recognized by the immune system. If surgery or trauma violates that barrier, it can expose sperm to the immune system, thereby causing the body to create anti-sperm antibodies. While this doesn’t affect your health, it can cause fertility issues down the road.

While there have been reports that vasectomies increase your risk of certain cancers and heart diseases, there is no proven link between vasectomies and these serious health concerns.

Effectiveness of vasectomy

A vasectomy is a safe and effective form of male sterilization, but it is very important to follow your post-surgery care instructions. It may take weeks or months following your vasectomy for your semen analysis to show that there are no longer sperm cells in your semen.

Even if you have a sperm-free semen analysis, there is still a slight risk of unwanted pregnancy.

Vasectomy reversal

A vasectomy is meant to be a permanent form of birth control. Some vasectomies can be reversed, but the success rate of a vasectomy reversal depends on two main factors:

Where your vasectomy was completed: If your vasectomy was not performed here, providing us with your medical records can help us better understand what the reversal procedure would entail.
How long ago you had your vasectomy: If your vasectomy was completed more than 10 years ago, there may be a lower rate of success for a vasectomy reversal.

Another thing to keep in mind when considering a vasectomy reversal is the fertility status of your female partner. If your partner is experiencing fertility issues that prevent natural pregnancy, vasectomy reversal may not be the best option.

We encourage you to bring your partner to your consultation so that we can work together to create a personalized care plan that helps you and your partner achieve your fertility goals.