Vasectomy (Male sterilisation)
During a minor operation, the tubes that carry sperm from a man's testicles to the penis are cut, blocked or sealed.
This prevents sperm from reaching the seminal fluid (semen), which is ejaculated from the penis during sex. There will be no sperm in the semen, so a woman's egg can't be fertilised.
Vasectomy is usually carried out under local anaesthetic, and takes about 15 minutes.
This prevents sperm from reaching the seminal fluid (semen), which is ejaculated from the penis during sex. There will be no sperm in the semen, so a woman's egg can't be fertilised.
Vasectomy is usually carried out under local anaesthetic, and takes about 15 minutes.
Advantages and disadvantages of vasectomy
Advantages
Disadvantages
Advantages
- the failure rate is only one in 2,000 – out of 2,000 men who have a vasectomy, only one will get a woman pregnant in the rest of his lifetime
- there are rarely long-term effects on your health
- vasectomy does not affect your hormone levels or sex drive
- it will not affect the spontaneity of sex or interfere with sex
- vasectomy may be chosen as a simpler, safer and more reliable alternative to female sterilisation
Disadvantages
- vasectomy doesn’t protect against sexually transmitted infections
- it’s difficult to reverse, and reversal may not be available on the NHS
- you need to use contraception after the operation until tests show your semen is free of sperm – if your semen contains sperm, you could make your partner pregnant
- complications can occur – the risks are listed below
For more information visit: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/contraception-guide/Pages/contraception.aspx