Many men, especially as the get a little older, begin to contemplate the benefits of sterilization.  After all, the freedom to engage in sexual activities without the risk of pregnancy is pretty alluring.  Vasectomies are fairly inexpensive, simple operations.  The can be performed by the doctor at his office and take very little recovery time.  However, there are some drawbacks to getting a vasectomy that a man should at least be aware of before making the final decision to be sterilized.

Possible Sexual Side Effects

Once the vasectomy has been completed the testes remain in place in the scrotum.  The Leydig cells continue producing male hormones such as testosterone which is circulated by the bloodstream.  Though most studies indicate that as many as 90% of men experience no drop in sexual desire after getting a vasectomy, other studies place that number lower, suggesting that as many as 1 in 5 men will see a drop in their desire for sex after surgery.
Though not significant to many men, the volume of ejaculate is somewhat diminished after getting a vasectomy.  Sperm constitutes about 10% of the volume of normal ejaculate.  After getting a vasectomy, since the sperm is no longer present, the amount of ejaculate is decreased.  However, it has been indicated that getting a vasectomy does not significantly alter the appearance, texture, smell or taste of the ejaculate.

Changes in the Testicles

Once the vas deferens has been severed or clamped, the sperm can no longer exit the body via the penis.  Though the testicles continue to produce sperm, they cannot leave and so are reabsorbed by the body.  Most of the fluid content of is absorbed through the membranes of the epididymis.  The solid content gets broken down by macrophages which respond to its presence.  The broken down product is then absorbed into the blood stream.
Even in men who have not had a vasectomy almost half of sperm are reabsorbed in this manner.  After getting a vasectomy the membranes have to grow to be able to absorb twice as much fluid.  This can cause the immune system to respond by producing more macrophages for the purposes of breaking down the solid sperm to be reabsorbed.

Immune System Response

Within a year of getting a vasectomy, studies have shown that close to 70% of men begin to develop antibodies that attack sperm.  Some cases of vasitis nodosa, benign bodies within the ductular epithelium can result as well.  The buildup of sperm in the testicles can create pressure in the lower portion of the vas deferens and against the epididymis.  It has been reported that these structures can often rupture and become damaged.  Sperm ganulomas can also be form by the entry of sperm into the scrotum as the body attempts to trap the sperm that the body now views as foreign bodies.
Though most of these changes and side effects are slight, some can still pose an inconvenience.  Any man is well advised to understand these potential drawbacks before deciding if the benefits of getting a vasectomy outweigh the risks.

Whether in their late 20s or late 30s, whether with a family of 6 kids or just an only child, at some point in every couples marriage they decide that their family is big enough.  When that time comes, the decision to get sterilized becomes a serious topic of consideration.  There just isn’t any better way to avoid an unwanted pregnancy.
Both tubal ligation for the female and vasectomy for the male reduce the chance of unintentional pregnancy to near zero.  Both options allow for unrestricted sexual intercourse without worry or fear.  However, when it comes down to the deeper considerations both may not be equal.

Tubal Ligation

Tubal ligation is the most common form of sterilization in the U.S.  The surgery is performed in an inpatient setting (requiring admission into a hospital).  Tubal ligation is a fairly invasive surgery and as such carries a significant amount of risk of infection, reaction to anesthesia and other complications often associated with surgery.  The failure rate of tubal ligations is about 2%.
Tubal ligation is a permanent means of sterilization but the success rate for reversal is fairly high.  The fallopian tubes are either severed and sealed or else they are clamped shut.  The recovery time for tubal ligation is well over a week in most cases.  There are a number of long-term complications that may follow tubal ligation ranging from recurrent pain to changes in menstrual cycle and hormonal issues.  Tubal ligation does decrease the risk of ovarian cancer and pelvic inflammatory disease.

Vasectomy

Vasectomies, though less common in the states are more common overseas.  This may be due to the fact that vasectomies usually cost about a quarter of the cost of tubal ligation.  A vasectomy can be performed in the doctor’s office under local anesthesia in less than an hour.  There is very little risk associated with the procedure.  The failure rate of vasectomies is about 1%.
Vasectomies are done by making a very slight incision into the scrotum to expose the vas deferens which is then cut or clamped.  The success rate for reversing a vasectomy is very low.  The usual recovery time is just a few days until being able to return to regular duties.  There are not any significant long-term health complications from vasectomies, though the chance of developing prostate cancer may be slightly greater.

The Comparison

When held up side by side for comparison, vasectomies are the more sensible solution in almost every way.  Vasectomies cost less and can be performed more quickly.  There is less risk associated with the procedure and vasectomies have a higher success rate.  The only points where vasectomies are less beneficial to a couple are in the slightly greater risk for the male of developing prostate cancer and the difficulty in reversal should the couple change their minds.
These are all consideration that should be discussed when a couple decides to seek a permanent means of contraception.  After all, the purpose of sterilization in such instances is to do what is best for the family and the couple.  As such, choosing the more sensible option is often for the best.

There comes a time in every couples relationship when the no longer want to grow their family by having more children.  The decision to not have any more children does not mean a decision to not have any more sex.  With sex, however, there is always a risk no matter how careful you are.
To help minimize that risk so that a couple can continue to enjoy intimacy without worry about unintentional impregnation, a number of long-term and permanent sterilization techniques are available.  Most of the options are available for female contraception, with few options being open to men.  However, the male vasectomy remains one of the most common and effective means of male sterilization extant.

The Male Options

As any man knows, the options for male birth control are extremely limited.  There is the condom, which offers only a moderate chance of protection and success.  Condom’s are prone to breakage and may completely fail in their purpose at any time.  They don’t afford the user much of a sense of real security and they can diminish sensation during sex.
The only other option available to men is the withdrawal method.  This method of birth control is even less effective than condoms.  Since semen can exist even in the ejaculate fluid that escapes during arousal and assists in lubrication (often referred to as “pre-cum”), there is no assurance that pulling out at the moment of climax will be sufficient.
Only the vasectomy provides the assurance of near 100% effectiveness.  With a vasectomy there is no worry about whether the female forgot to take her oral contraceptive.  There is no worry about a condom breaking, nor is there the loss of sensation.  Vasectomies provide almost total protection within monogamous relationships.  The vasectomy cannot protect against STDs that may be contracted from the practice of having unprotected sex with multiple partners.

The Female Options

The options available to females are often less effective, more subject to human error and have a greater number of side effect than a vasectomy.  Pills can be accidentally forgotten, implants can go bad, and diaphragms can fail.  Hormonal birth control can have a major effect on females as well and is not always well received by the female body.
The only near comparable surgery for females can also have serious side effects and requires a much more invasive and risky form of surgery.  This surgery requires a much greater recovery time before being able to return to normal daily and sexual activity.  Given the choice, most men would much prefer to have the very simple process of a vasectomy performed than to put their loved one at risk.

The Choice

The decision to get a vasectomy should not be taken lightly.  It is a permanent procedure and, as such, should be considered with great care and discussed between partners.  Only if both of the partners are certain that they don’t desire to have any more children should a vasectomy be undertaken.

A vasectomy is a surgical procedure used to sterilize males.  This practice remains one of the most widely popular methods of contraception throughout the world because of its simplicity, its permanence and its effectiveness.  The practicality of getting a vasectomy makes it ideal for men who have made the conscious decision to not have any more children.

What is a Vasectomy?

A vasectomy is an outpatient procedure that is intended to permanently sterilize a male.  During the procedure the surgeon makes a tiny incision into the scrotum of the man to expose the vas deferens.  The vas deferens it the tube that carries sperm from the testicles to the seminal vesicles and prostate where it is mixed with the ejaculate fluid.
Once the vas deferens is exposed it is then cut, clamped or sealed by other methods.  This prevents sperm from being able to travel up the vas deferens.  The man will still be able to ejaculate, but there will no longer be sperm that could impregnate his partner.

What Happens to the Sperm?

After the vasectomy the male’s testicles still produce sperm.  However, since the sperm have no way to leave the body, they remain in the testicles.  The body then reabsorbs the sperm.  This also happens in unsterilized males when they do not ejaculate for an extended period of time and is nothing that causes problems.

After Surgery

After surgery the scrotum remains numbed because of the anesthetic for several hours.  There may be some swelling and mild pain for a few days as your body begins to heal.  Using an ice pack can help alleviate some of this discomfort.  Sexual activity can be resumed whenever the male feels recovered enough and comfortable to do so.  Most men find that they can within a week.
In the months immediately following the vasectomy the male should take caution and continue to use other means of birth control.  Even though the transmission of sperm through the vas deferens has been blocked some sperm may remain in the upper section of the vas deferens and could still impregnate his partner.  It is important to use birth control until the entirety of the sperm have had time to leave the body or to be reabsorbed by the body.

Is It Effective?

Vasectomy is one of the most effective means of birth control.  In fact it has very close to a 100% success rate (about 99.85%).  This means that only 1 out of every thousand female partners of a man who has had a vasectomy will get pregnant within the first year following the male’s vasectomy.

Benefits Over Other Birth Control Methods

Because the vasectomy is permanent it takes much of the worry out of birth control.  It is more effective than many of the long-term female birth control methods with less side effects.  With a vasectomy there is no worry about a condom breaking or a pill being forgotten.  A vasectomy allows for intimate copulation without worry, though it should be understood that a vasectomy in no way protects against sexually transmitted diseases.