
Effectiveness of Vasectomy
Effectiveness is an important and common concern when choosing a birth control method. Vasectomy is the most effective birth control for men. It is nearly 100 percent effective.
However, vasectomy is not immediately effective. Sperm remains beyond the blocked tubes. You must use other birth control until the sperm are used up. It usually takes about three months. A simple test — semen analysis — shows when there are no more sperm in your ejaculate.
How Is Semen Analysis Done?
You will provide a sample of your semen by masturbating or by using a special condom during sexual intercourse. The semen will be examined under a microscope to see if there are any sperm.
Very rarely, tubes grow back together again and pregnancy may occur. This happens in about 1 out of 1,000 cases.
Keep in mind that vasectomy offers no protection against sexually transmitted infection. Sexually transmitted infections can be carried in ejaculate, whether or not it contains sperm. Latex or female condoms can reduce your risk of infection.
How Safe Is Vasectomy?
Most men can have a vasectomy safely. But like any medical procedure, there are risks. Talk with your health care provider about whether vasectomy is likely to be safe for you.
What Are the Risks of Vasectomy?
Major complications with vasectomy are rare and are usually caused by infection.
Complication rates for vasectomy are generally lower for the no-incision method than for methods that include cutting the skin.
After you've had a vasectomy, look for signs of infection:
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a fever over 100° F
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blood or pus oozing from the site of the incision
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excessive pain or swelling
See a health care provider if you have signs of infection. You may need an antibiotic.
Other potential problems include:
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bruising, which usually clears up on its own
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hematomas — swellings that contain blood. They usually clear up by themselves, or with bed rest or ice packs. In rare cases, they need to be drained by a health care provider.
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hydroceles — swellings that contain fluid and tenderness near the testicles. They usually clear up in about a week. Applying heat and wearing an athletic supporter can help. In rare cases, they need to be drained with by a health care provider.
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granuloma — sperm that leaks from the tubes and causes a small lump under the skin near the site of the surgery. This usually clears up by itself. Surgical treatment is sometimes required.
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pain or discomfort in the testicles. This is usually temporary, but in about 2 out of 100 cases the pain may be chronic and severe. Most of the time, pain is relieved by taking anti-inflammatory drugs or other medications. Very rarely, an injection called a spermatic cord block can be used to deaden the pain temporarily. Vasectomy reversal is very rarely needed to relieve pain permanently.
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Very rarely, the cut ends of a tube grow back together. This most often happens within four months of the operation and may allow pregnancy to happen.
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Decreased sexual desire or an inability to have an erection occurs in 4 out of 1,000 cases. The most likely cause is emotional — there is no physical cause for sexual dysfunction associated with