Do you have kids and know for certain that you don’t want to have any more? Does your wife want you to get “fixed” so that she doesn’t have to worry about getting pregnant? Or maybe your partner is just sick of taking birth control and wants you to do something about it instead? O
r are you just the kind of guy who doesn’t have kids and doesn’t want to risk having any at all? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need to know more about vasectomies. Before you hastily make an appointment for a vasectomy, read on to find out everything you need to know about vasectomies.
What Is A Vasectomy?
Most men have a vague idea, at least, of what happens during a vasectomy operation, but here’s some technical information for all of you. A vasectomy involves preventing sperm from passing into the semen. During sex, sperm travel from the testicles through the vasa defernetia there joining with the semen. When a man ejaculates, his ejaculate contains semen and sperm.
The goal of a vasectomy is to stop sperm from mixing together with semen. With no semen in your ejaculate, you won’t have to worry about impregnating anymore. In order to stop sperm from coming out in a man’s ejaculate, the doctor snips the vas deferentia, making it impossible for sperm to travel through to the ejaculate.
How Is A Vasectomy Performed?
Basically, there are two different ways that vasectomies are performed. First, there’s the conventional technique where a local anesthetic numbs the scrotum before tiny cuts are made, removing a piece of the tube that delivers sperm to the semen. The two ends are then tied together and cauterized to prevent the sperm from joining the semen. While it may sound horrible, this is a short procedure, usually taking around 30 minutes.
The second technique, referred to as the no scalpel technique, often sounds much more appealing to men considering a vasectomy. This procedure is quicker than the traditional one, taking only a few minutes, requiring no stitches and offering a quicker recovery time. The doctor will make a tiny puncture in the scrotum to cut and tie the tube and that’s it!
Will A Vasectomy Affect Your Sex Drive?
Other than the pain, this is one of the biggest concerns that men have about vasectomies. If cutting that tube will mean that you won’t be able to get hard or perhaps worse, that you will have no desire to have sex, then you’d probably pass on the vasectomy, wouldn’t you? Well, no need to worry – having a vasectomy will not reduce your sex drive, and it won’t affect your sex life.
In fact, most physicians will tell you that a typical vasectomy patient will be able to have sex only a few days after the surgery. You will still be able to get hard and ejaculate and enjoy sex to the fullest. In fact, lots of couples enjoy sex even more after the vasectomy because you don’t have to worry about ineffective birth control, broken condoms or anything else. You can just enjoy the moment and the sex to the fullest.
Another related concern that men have is whether their ejaculate will change after the operation. It won’t – you will not be able to detect any difference in your ejaculate because the only thing missing from it your sperm. Since sperm only makes up about 2% of your ejaculate, you won’t notice that the amount of ejaculate has decreased significantly.
Can You Have Sex Immediately?
Most doctors will tell you that you should take a few days to rest before having sex. However, you should also be aware that even when you are feeling up to sex a few days after the surgery, you might not be sterile at this point. Ask your doctor about this first, but note that for many men, it may take several weeks any several ejaculations to rid your semen of sperm altogether.
This is why many couples continue to use a back-up form of birth control for period following the vasectomy. And for those of you who are not in a monogamous relationship, while a vasectomy will prevent pregnancy, it will not stop the spread of STDs, so don’t try to go without condoms.
Is The Procedure Permanent?
For most men who choose a vasectomy, they intend to keep it. For others, however, circumstances may arise when you may wish you hadn’t done it in the first place. This is why most men want to know if the surgery is permanent. The answer is yes, the surgery is intended to be permanent, once performed.
However, it can be reversed in some situations. The reversal is performed by the physician reconnecting the two ends of the tube that was originally snipped. However, this does not guarantee fertility, as only about 50% of men regain their fertility after a successful vasectomy. This is why it is vitally important that you are sure you want a vasectomy before receiving one.
Need More Info? Talk To Your Doctor
While informative, this article only provides you with some of the information you should have if you are contemplating a vasectomy. Before you do anything, talk to your partner and be open and honest about your feelings and thoughts on vasectomies. Also, make an appointment to talk to your doctor about it, as your doctor may be able to answer questions and offer information that you need.
Always remember that this isn’t a decision that anyone should take lightly. While it is generally a quick and virtually pain free operation, the results are designed to be permanent. Think over your reasons for having a vasectomy before you make any decisions. Don’t let some bratty child turn you off children forever – making a hasty decision before thoroughly thinking it over is never a good idea!