PERMANENT CONTRACEPTION: STERILISATION
Vasectomy. The permanent sterilisation of a man is a technically easier procedure. The vas deferens are the tubes that carry sperm from the testes (balls) to the seminal vesicles, where sperm are stored. These tubes are relatively accessible, as they are in the scrotum (the skin sac that the testes are in). Cutting and tying the vas deferens can be done under a local anaesthetic, and is pretty hazard free. Sometimes bruising may be apparent, and, rarely, infection. Questions regarding the possibility of prostate cancer being linked in some way to vasectomy have been raised by some researchers. Further work is being done to establish whether or not there is a relationship, but it seems there is not. Future studies will hopefully sort this out.
Vasectomy has no effects on sexual performance. The man is still able to have sexual intercourse, to orgasm and ejaculate. The only difference is that there are no sperm in the ejaculate. It is important to make sure the ejaculate is free of sperm before relying on the operation for contraception. It is usual for a man to undergo one or two semen analysis tests to make sure the sperm are all out of the system, and until this has been done another form of contraception should be used. The semen analysis may be performed at two or three months, or after a certain number of ejaculations. Doctors may differ in their recommendations regarding when, and how many times, to test the ejaculate, but the process is the same.
Doctors tend to be more cautious about performing this operation on younger men for the same reasons outlined above in relation to younger women and sterilisation. The success rate of reversal of vasectomy is also variable, and it is not recommended that it be considered a reversible method.
In general it is a very safe, relatively cheap, and effective form of permanent contraception. Like tubal ligation, it is becoming more popular as people are looking for effective contraception with a very low side-effect profile. If permanency is desired, it is a pretty appealing option for many couples.
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