What is a vasectomy?

A vasectomy is a surgical procedure that stops sperm from leaving your body, providing
permanent birth control (contraception). The procedure closes off the ends of the vas deferens,
which are the tubes that carry sperm. Vasectomy is safe and effective for preventing pregnancy,
but it doesn’t protect against disease.

Procedure
How is the vasectomy procedure done?
There are two types of vasectomies.
One is a conventional vasectomy, and the other is a no-scalpel vasectomy.

The main difference between no-scalpel and conventional vasectomies is how the surgeon
accesses the vas deferens. The vas deferens are ducts that carry sperm from the testicles to the
urethra, where it mixes with semen.

With conventional vasectomy, an incision is made using a scalpel on each side of the scrotum to
reach the vas deferens.

With a no-scalpel vasectomy, the vas deferens are held with a clamp from outside the scrotum
and a needle is used to make a small hole in the scrotum for access to the ducts.

Both are done in doctors’ offices or outpatient surgery centers. Both use local anesthesia to numb
your scrotum. The anesthesia is given as a shot.

Both vasectomies divide and close off the ends of the vas deferens (the tubes that carry sperm),
preventing sperm from getting through. This stops the sperm from mixing with the semen and
releasing it when a man ejaculates during an orgasm.

Your surgeon will make an opening in your skin and grasp the vas deferens. The vas deferens are
then divided and tied, clipped, or cauterized. Cauterizing closes cuts with an electrical current.
There’s little discomfort with a vasectomy. Your scrotum will be numb, but some men feel a
slight “tugging” sensation or a feeling of things moving around. Your surgeon will decide if you
need stitches, depending on how they routinely do the procedure.
Is a vasectomy 100% effective?
The failure rate of a vasectomy is very low. In rare cases after a vasectomy — roughly 1 in
10,000 cases — it’s possible for sperm to cross the separated ends of the vas deferens.
Vasectomy has been a safe and successful birth control method for many years.

Semen samples are routinely checked after a vasectomy to confirm a successful procedure. If
your semen samples continue to contain sperm, you may have to have another vasectomy.

But this only happens approximately once in every 10,000 cases, a failure rate far less than for
any other form of birth control. For instance, condoms fail about 1% of the time, or 1 out of
every 100 times one is used.

Can I have a vasectomy reversed later if I choose?

It is possible but you should consider vasectomy a permanent means of birth control or you
might also consider storing sperm in a sperm bank before you have a vasectomy.

What happens to sperm after a vasectomy?

 After a vasectomy, your testicles continue making sperm. When the sperm cells die, they
disintegrate and are absorbed by your body. This is the same way your body handles
other types of cells that die and are replaced every day.

 Also, a vasectomy doesn’t affect testosterone production or release. (Testosterone is the

hormone that’s responsible for your sex drive, facial hair, deep voice, and other traits of
people who identify as male.)

A vasectomy doesn’t affect sexuality negatively, either. Your erections and climaxes will
be the same. The amount of ejaculate and the taste won’t change. The only difference is
that your semen will no longer contain sperm (azoospermia).

 Another thing is it doesn’t protect you from diseases if you have sexually transmitted
diseases like HIV, AIDS, or STDs. A vasectomy will not remove that.