Vasectomy Pros and Cons List

For those who are unaware, a vasectomy is a common form of birth control for males. It is a procedure that either seals or severs the male’s vas deferens, so that sperm can no longer be released when the male ejaculates during sexual intercourse. It is one of the most effective forms of birth control available and allows the male to have sexual intercourse without the risk of impregnating their partner.

While this may sound wonderful to some males and terrible to others, it’s important to investigate the pros and cons involved in such a procedure, so that an informed decision can be made. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons.

List of Pros of Vasectomy

1. Most Effective Form Of Birth Control
Vasectomy is widely thought of as the most foolproof form of birth control currently available to males or females. It is statistically safer than the use of condoms, the female birth control pill and female tube sterilization. Once the male has had a successful vasectomy, there is no longer any need for additional forms of birth control during sexual intercourse.

When trying to steer clear of any kind of unwanted pregnancy, vasectomy is unparalleled. A male who does not wish to have children and has reached an age where this sort of decision is acceptable to a medical professional has no better option available to them. The pregnancy prevention rate for vasectomies is a whopping 99.8 percent.

2. Very Minor Procedure
While a vasectomy may seem like a complicated procedure, especially to men who fear any sort of permanent damage to their genitalia, the vasectomy procedure is actually quite simple and can be performed in less than an hour, with the usage of a local anesthetic. In certain instances, the procedure could be finished in less than 30 minutes.

There is zero risk for any sort of severe injury or fatality and the man is able to resume all of his normal activities within a few days at most. There are no other health risks that can arise as a result of the procedure. A man can rest easy, knowing that there are also no severe side effects to be concerned with.

3. Sex Drive Is Unaffected
When some men hear about a vasectomy, they naturally assume that the prevention of the release of sperm will lead to a markedly decreased libido. This is simply not true and the vasectomy does not have any effect on the male’s overall testosterone levels. The male libido does not wane or decline in any way.

In the event that a man changes his mind and decides that he would like to father children, he can return to the doctor who performed his initial procedure and have the effects reversed. On the flip side of the coin, a woman who has a female sterilization procedure performed cannot have the results reversed as easily.

List of Cons of Vasectomy

1. Less Than 100 Percent Success Rate
Even though vasectomies come with the aforementioned 99.8 success rate, any percentage less than 100 may not be palatable to the man who is undergoing the procedure. Even men who have had vasectomies can still impregnate their partner. Although these occurrences tend to be quite rare, they still manage to take place.

If you are a male who wishes to find a form of birth control that has a 100 percent rate of success, then the vasectomy is not for you. While vasectomies are currently the safest form of birth control available to either sex, they are not entirely foolproof and can lead to much consternation when an unplanned pregnancy takes place.

2. Reversals Are Expensive and Uncertain
Reversals of the vasectomy procedure can be performed, but they do not come cheap. A doctor may not always agree to perform a vasectomy on a man who is younger in age, because they will worry about the man having a change of heart and deciding that he would like to father children after all.

Not only that, but a reversal is not always guaranteed to instantly restore the male’s ability to impregnate his partner. Even a successful reversal can take time. Couples who have experienced a vasectomy reversal report that it can take up to one year (or longer) before they are able to become pregnant. Reversals are also not a sure thing and may not be successful.

3. Several Other Worries
There are a wide range of other small concerns that can add up over time to become a major problem. First and foremost, the male must be aware that sexually transmitted diseases can still be passed from one partner to another, even after a vasectomy has been performed. Preventing the release of sperm is not the same as preventing the transmission of disease.

The process is also not entirely without pain. A male who has undergone a vasectomy will need to take at least a few days from his normal routine, in order to allow the swelling to go down. Some men experience chronic pain in their testicles after the procedure has been performed, in addition to discomfort and pain.

The pain can persist for months after the vasectomy is performed, which then leads to additional doctor’s office visits. This pain may not go away for several years or become a chronic issue that comes and goes. Speak to a doctor before receiving a vasectomy to find out if it is the right choice for you.