What is sterilization for men

A vasectomy is a quick and relatively painless surgical procedure. In most cases, you'll be able to return home the same day. The doctor doing your vasectomy will discuss which option is best for you.

The doctor first numbs your scrotum with a local anaesthetic. They then make 2 small cuts in the skin on each side of your scrotum to reach the tubes that carry sperm out of your testicles vas deferens.

Each tube is cut and a small section removed. The ends of the tubes are then closed, either by tying them or sealing them using heat.

The cuts are stitched, usually using dissolvable stitches that go away on their own within about a week. The doctor first numbs your scrotum with local anaesthetic. They then make a tiny puncture hole in the skin of your scrotum to reach the tubes.

This means they don't need to cut the skin with a scalpel. The tubes are then closed in the same way as a conventional vasectomy, either by being tied or sealed. There's little bleeding and no stitches with this procedure. It's thought to be less painful and less likely to cause complications than a conventional vasectomy. Your doctor will ask about your circumstances, provide information, and may recommend counselling before agreeing to the procedure. You should only have a vasectomy if you're certain you don't want any more children or don't want children at all.

If you have a partner, discuss it with them before you decide. If possible, you should both agree to the procedure, but it's not a legal requirement to get your partner's permission. Once you have had a vasectomy, it's very difficult to reverse it, so consider all options and use another method of contraception until you're completely sure. Vasectomy reversal isn't usually available on the NHS. You may be more likely to be accepted for a vasectomy if you're over 30 and have had children.

But your GP can refuse to carry out the procedure, or refuse to refer you, if they don't believe it's in your best interests. But waiting lists can be several months, depending on where you live.

Speak to your GP or ask at your local contraception clinic for more information. As waiting lists for vasectomies can be long, some men choose to pay to have the procedure carried out privately.

It's common to have some mild discomfort, swelling and bruising of your scrotum for a few days after the vasectomy. You can take painkillers, such as paracetamol , to help. See a GP if it's still painful after taking painkillers. It's common to have blood in your semen in the first few ejaculations after a vasectomy. This isn't harmful. Wear tight-fitting underwear or athletic support day and night for the first few days to help support your scrotum and ease any discomfort or swelling.

Make sure you change your underwear every day. It's usually safe for you to have a bath or shower after your operation — check with your doctor what's suitable for you. Make sure you dry your genital area gently and thoroughly. You can usually return to work 1 or 2 days after a vasectomy, but should avoid sport and heavy lifting for at least a week after the procedure to prevent complications. See a GP if you still have symptoms after a few days. You'll need to use another method of contraception for at least the first 8 to 12 weeks, as it can take this long to clear the remaining sperm in your tubes.

How long this takes varies from man to man. There's still a risk of pregnancy during this time. About 12 weeks after the procedure, you'll need to produce a sample of semen, which will be tested for sperm. Once tests have confirmed that your semen is sperm-free, the vasectomy is considered successful and you can stop using additional contraception.

Some men may need 2 tests. But until it's been confirmed that your semen is free of sperm, continue to use another form of contraception. A few men will continue to have small numbers of sperm in their system, but these sperm don't move and are less likely to make your partner pregnant.

If you're one of these men, your doctor will discuss your options with you. The test also helps to identify the rare cases in which the tubes naturally rejoin themselves. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Between 6 and 10 percent of vasectomy patients change their minds and undergo a reversal.

Life circumstances often spur the decision: a new marriage, a couple simply deciding they want children or more children , or the death of a child. A vasectomy reversal is a minimally invasive procedure that restores continuity. Vij says. You can go back to work in a day or two, if you have a desk job. Or in three or four days if you have a more strenuous job.

This is a surprise to many men, Dr. Major complications are rare. Sterilization is permanent birth control. It is not meant to be reversible. Before having the procedure, you and your partner, if appropriate must be certain that you do not want children in the future.

If you have a sterilization procedure and you change your mind after the operation, you can have surgery to try to reverse it. You can also try assisted reproductive techology ART to attempt pregnancy. These procedures are expensive and may not be covered by insurance. There also is no guarantee that you will be able to become pregnant afterward. This may include handling eggs and sperm or embryos. Ectopic Pregnancy: A pregnancy in a place other than the uterus, usually in one of the fallopian tubes.

Egg: The female reproductive cell made in and released from the ovaries. Also called the ovum. Fallopian Tubes: Tubes through which an egg travels from the ovary to the uterus. Laparoscope: A thin, lighted telescope that is inserted through a small incision cut in the abdomen to view internal organs or to perform surgery.

Laparoscopy: A surgical procedure in which a thin, lighted telescope called a laparoscope is inserted through a small incision cut in the abdomen. The laparoscope is used to view the pelvic organs. Other instruments can be used with it to perform surgery. Minilaparotomy : A small abdominal cut used for a surgery in which the fallopian tubes are closed off as a form of permanent birth control. Postpartum Sterilization: A permanent procedure that prevents a woman from becoming pregnant, done soon after the birth of a child.

Sexual Intercourse: The act of the penis of the male entering the vagina of the female. Testicles: Paired male organs that make sperm and the male sex hormone testosterone.

Also called the testes. Vas Deferens : One of two small tubes that carries sperm from each male testicle to the prostate gland. Vasectomy : A permanent birth control method for men. In this procedure, a portion of the tube that carries sperm is removed. Copyright by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. All rights reserved.