Advantages and disadvantages of vasectomy

• Vasectomy is increasingly requested by men for birth control. It carries fewer risks than tubal ligation for women.
• It is a simple operation, which takes about 20 minutes and is practically irreversible, although there is a repair surgery with a low success rate.
• There are many doubts on the part of couples about this operation, as well as advantages, disadvantages and myths that we explain in this article.

Vasectomy is an operation in which the urological surgeon makes an incision in the scrotal area and sections and ligates the vas deferens, thus interrupting the passage of sperm from the testicles to the urethra or seminal duct.

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The contraceptive efficacy of vasectomy is total.

When the vas deferens is severed, sperm are not expelled with the ejaculate, thus interrupting the chances of pregnancy.

Vasectomy does not alter the production of sperm, it only prevents them from being expelled with the semen. As the sperm do not come out with the semen, they accumulate in a part of the testicle, called the epididymis. 

Here, they are absorbed by the body and therefore do not pose a major problem for the patient. We will talk about the myths of vasectomy later on, but it should be made clear that after vasectomy there is still ejaculation.

Immediately after vasectomy it is not advisable to have unprotected intercourse, as there is still sperm in the seminal ducts and in the upper portion of the vas deferens for a period of four to six weeks, so there is still some chance of pregnancy.

After vasectomy surgery and to ensure that the semen no longer contains spermatozoa, two spermiograms with negative results are usually recommended to ensure the success of the surgery, although in many cases a spermiogram after 3 months is sufficient to know if the vasectomy has been successful.

Vasectomy is an elective surgery, so it is a surgery that provides a series of advantages to the man and his partner who undergoes it. We talk about them below.

Vasectomy surgery has many advantages for patients who choose to undergo it. In terms of birth control, some of the advantages of undergoing vasectomy surgery include the following:

• The contraceptive efficacy is total, as long as there have been two negative spermiograms or one negative spermiogram after 3 months.
• Vasectomy is for life, so if you have decided not to have any more children, this is the best method of contraception.
• It is a very safe procedure, so after the procedure, the couple can enjoy sex without worrying about pregnancy.
• It is not necessary for the woman to take birth control measures once a vasectomy has been performed on the man.

From a surgical point of view, vasectomy has the following advantages:

One of the advantages of vasectomy is that it is much less invasive than tubal ligation.

• The procedure is very simple and takes little more than 20 minutes.
• Vasectomy, in the long term, is cheaper and more effective than permanent birth control by the woman.
• It does not require any controls, except, as we have already mentioned, the spermogram that confirms the absence of spermatozoa with ejaculation.
• The surgery does not cause any long-term discomfort.

One of the disadvantages of vasectomy is that vasectomy reversal is very complex and expensive.

Vasectomy may also have a number of disadvantages, which the patient should consider before undergoing the operation.

From a surgical point of view:

• It is very difficult and expensive to reverse the operation, and in most cases it is not possible, so the patient must be 100% sure that he or she wants to undergo it.
• The very fact that it is surgery can be frightening for the patient.
• In the long term the operation is inexpensive, however, it requires a one-off outlay of the cost of the operation, although it is affordable.
• Some patients who have undergone the operation may experience bruising, swelling and pain after the operation, although these are temporary discomforts that disappear after a few days.

Functionally, some of the disadvantages of vasectomy may include:

• It does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
• The contraceptive effect after undergoing a vasectomy is not immediate, but the patient must wait approximately two months to confirm the full contraceptive effect.

At Operarme, you can have your vasectomy done in less than 10 days from the consultation with the urologist.

Beyond the main objective and advantage of vasectomy, which is the sterilisation of the patient in order not to have children, carrying out a vasectomy at Operarme has several advantages with respect to the management of the surgical process. 

We explain them below:

• All-inclusive price: the final price of the vasectomy is €990 and includes everything necessary to perform the surgery in the most comfortable and successful way possible. In addition, it includes a spermiogram after three months to know that it has been a success.
• Your vasectomy in less than 10 days: we have no waiting list. From the moment you decide and meet our vasectomy specialist, at most 7 or 10 days will pass until the surgery, depending on the availability of the operating theatre.
• Top specialists: all our urologists have more than 15 years of experience, which means they have performed vasectomies hundreds of times.
• Personalised attention throughout the process: our patient service team will help and guide you through the whole process.

As you have seen, once you decide to have the surgery to avoid having children, the vasectomy process has more advantages than disadvantages. Beyond that, it is important to talk about some of the myths about vasectomy that are told and, as the name suggests, are not true.

Vasectomy surgery has always created insecurities in the patient, which have led society to make some erroneous claims that can turn many patients away. Some of the claims we debunk are the following:

Vasectomy does not affect the patient sexually

Vasectomy does not affect the man sexually, i.e. he continues to have the same erectile capacity, the same libido and the same ability to reach orgasm. Nor does the surgery change hormone production or diminish sexual pleasure. Everything remains intact, the only thing is that the semen will not contain sperm, which is not visible to the naked eye.

After vasectomy, ejaculation does not occur or the amount of semen is reduced

With a vasectomy, the organs are not changed or removed and the glands that produce seminal fluid are not removed, so hormones and sperm continue to be produced. The appearance and quantity of ejaculate will therefore remain the same.

After vasectomy, sperm are no longer present in the semen

After the operation, there is still sperm in the vas deferens and seminal vesicles. These sperm are not completely eliminated for about two months. The patient is therefore advised to use another method of contraception for the first few months.

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Vasectomy changes a couple's sex life

Once the patient has fully recovered from the operation, his sex life can be resumed. Sexual desire, as well as erection, remains intact. In some cases, the patient experiences an irrational fear of his sexual ability after undergoing surgery, which may cause this state of anxiety to make it difficult for him to have satisfactory sexual intercourse. However, this is only a psychological factor, as the surgery does not affect sexual ability at all.

Vasectomy is a contraceptive method that frequently fails

It is estimated that in one in 4,000 cases, the vas deferens spontaneously rejoins. It is extraordinarily rare for this to happen, so it is a safe birth control procedure.

Vasectomy is a totally irreversible procedure

There is a surgical procedure by which the vas deferens can be reconnected to allow sperm to pass back into the semen through the vas deferens. This operation is called "Vasovasostomy" and is a long (about 4 hours), expensive and complicated procedure. Moreover, the longer it is since the patient had the vasectomy operation, the more unlikely it is that the vas will reconnect.

If you are thinking of having a vasectomy and are looking for a specialist to perform it, request a free surgical assessment consultation with one of our Urologists to assess your case and perform the vasectomy as soon as possible. 

You can request a consultation by clicking below:

Are you interested in having a vasectomy surgery?

Request a free and immediate appointment with our specialists in Urology

Make an appointment