Things You Need To Know About A Vasectomy
2014-09-22
A vasectomy is by far the most reliable type of birth control. But there are a few things you should consider before getting one. If you are of a certain age and do not want to have children, or are done reproducing a vasectomy can make a whole lot of sense. It only takes 20 to 30 minutes. The vas deferens are each cut, there are two, disallowing sperm from exiting the body. Sexual functioning however will remain the same. Urologist and head of Southern Illinois University’s fertility division Dr. Tobias Köhler said, “There is no safer or more reliable form of birth control apart from abstinence.”
Still there are things you need to know about having a vasectomy. Though a slight chance, there is still a risk that you could still impregnate your partner. Köhler says that after a vasectomy the chances of pregnancy are 1 in 2,000. Though they are very small, the surgery is not infallible.
A vasectomy doesn’t make you sterile immediately. Köhler says that you still have, “bullets in the chamber.” He adds, “You need to ejaculate 20 or 30 times after the procedure to clear out your existing sperm reserves.” At least now you have a good excuse. Lots of men fail to remember that they aren’t automatically infertile. Each year, a flurry of lawsuits occur over so-called failed vasectomies when in reality the patient should have used the couple’s normal form of birth control until the time when his chamber was clear. There are a few minor risks. Köhler says, “Don’t Google ‘vasectomy risks’ because you’ll see all kinds of crazy stuff.”
There is a small chance of infection and of developing hematoma, a condition where blood collects in the scrotum. If this occurs, a second minor procedure may be necessary. There are zero long-term negative effects to your equipment and performance from a vasectomy. You won’t find any drop in testosterone either. Insurance companies love to cover this procedure since children are expensive to them. Make sure your decision is final. A reversal surgery can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000. There is no rush to decide. Köhler says, “If it’s been a while since you had your vasectomy—like, more than eight years—you only have about a 50-50 shot of regaining your ability to reproduce.”