Dear Aunt Lori,

I don't want any more kids. I don't want my wife to go through a surgery, but I'm also scared of a vasectomy. Is it really painful and difficult? Will I have to take hormones afterwards?

No More Babies

Dear No More Babies,

Vasectomies are probably one of the most misunderstood common procedures; they're actually very simple and easy to recover from!

Most people confuse vasectomies with neutering/castration, but the testes (balls) aren't altered at all! Unlike castration, only the tubes carrying the sperm cells (vas deferens) are altered. The urologist will cut or block off the vas deferens by removing a piece of the tube or clamping off the tube.

Because the testes are unaffected, the production of hormones is completely the same! The only change is that when semen is produced, it won't have any sperm; they'll be "shooting blanks".

Recovery time is often short: a lot of people return to work in the same week! A large part of this is because it can be done with local anesthesia and you won't be put to sleep. The urologist numbs the area, makes a small incision, cuts/clamps/removes the tubes, then closes the incision. The vas deferens isn't very deep within the scrotum, so there's not a lot of tissue to cut through.

Most people just have mild discomfort and soreness, but it's often relieved by icing the area and Tylenol. You'll have to abstain from sex and masturbation for a while as it heals. Backup birth control options are recommended initially, until your doctor clears you by testing your semen to ensure that it doesn't contain sperm.

A major bonus for this highly effective birth control option is that it's often very affordable! Depending on insurance, it might even be free! The most expensive bill (in the US) for a vasectomy is about $1,000 - but often much less. Especially considering that it's permanent, highly effective and you won't have to take much time off from work to recover, it's a bargain!

Very rarely, the tubes regrow after a vasectomy, but it's highly unlikely and usually happens in the first three months after the vasectomy. It can be reversed - but the longer after the procedure it's been, the less effective the reversal is. If there's any question about changing your mind in the future, it's recommended to freeze and store sperm in a spermbank.

Hopefully this will help you with your decision! Look for urologists in your area - most perform vasectomies - if you decide to have a vasectomy or want to discuss the possibility and whether it is a good option for you.

Bonus - watch Rhett and Link of Good Mythical Morning as they get vasectomies! (Friends that get sterilized together stay together)

Aunt Lori

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