10 Questions You Should Ask Before a Vasectomy

A vasectomy is a significant decision in any man’s life. It is a permanent form of birth control that affects one’s health and long-term family planning. If you are considering undergoing a vasectomy, you may have a lot of questions swirling in your mind about its effectiveness, what to expect, sex after the procedure, etc. To help you make an informed choice, we’ve compiled a list of ten critical questions you should ask your healthcare provider before going ahead with a vasectomy. After all, you want to be confident that it is the right choice for you and your family and have peace of mind on the day of the procedure.

While a vasectomy is a non-invasive, low-risk procedure, it is still important to understand the potential risks and side effects. The most common side effects typically include mild discomfort and swelling in the scrotal area during the initial days. Additionally, you may observe small amounts of blood in the first few ejaculations following the procedure.

More uncommon side effects can include swelling and inflammation of the vas deferens, testicles, epididymis. Rare complications include a Sperm Granuloma – a small pea or bean-sized lump that forms at the end of the recently cut vas deferens, an infected scrotum, and a Scrotal Hematoma. Your healthcare provider should review all possible side effects and risks with you during your consultation.

Vasectomies have an extremely high success rate of 99.9%. There is a very rare chance of failure – about roughly 1 in 2,000 pregnancies occur after vasectomies or a <1% failure rate. Compared to condoms, which have a failure rate of 2-18%, and oral contraceptive pills, which have a failure rate of 2-9%, vasectomies are significantly more effective.

Yes, vasectomies should be considered a permanent form of contraception. The overall success of a vasectomy reversal is 30-90%. The reversal success rate gradually decreases the longer the period of time between the vasectomy and the reversal. Post-reversal pregnancy rates also decrease with time. Reversals are expensive and are usually not covered by insurance. Make sure to thoroughly consider and consult with yourself, your family, and your medical professionals to determine if the permanency of this procedure is right for you.

You can typically resume masturbation and sexual intercourse one week after the vasectomy procedure. Make sure to use contraception before your post-vasectomy sperm screening determines you have no sperm present.

One of the most common misconceptions is that a vasectomy will impact sexual function/sex drive. It will NOT impact sexual functioning, performance, or enjoyment. Following the procedure, your testicles will continue to produce the male hormone testosterone. Your sex drive, orgasms, genital sensation, and ability to achieve an erection will remain unaffected. Your healthcare provider should go over this with you during your consultation and put your mind at ease.

To start the procedure, your healthcare provider will place a warm pack over your scrotum. Then, they will identify and isolate the Vas Deferens tubes on each side and administer local anesthesia using a pressurized pneumatic device. Using a small dissecting instrument, they will create a small puncture hole in the scrotal skin at the midline. Each vas deferens will be gently pulled externally one at a time, cut, cauterized, and sealed before being returned to the scrotum. The entire process typically takes around 20-30 minutes from start to finish.

Recovery experiences can vary widely among individuals. However, you can expect to take it easy and relax for the first three days. You can manage any pain/swelling with ice and by taking Tylenol or Ibuprofen. You can return to light activities after three days and exercise, work, and sexual intercourse after one week. Overall, the recovery process is quick and pain-free. Your healthcare provider can provide you with specifics on what to expect in the days following the procedure.

A vasectomy is a minor surgical procedure designed to provide permanent contraception for men. During the procedure, the vas deferens (the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles to the urethra) are blocked. This prevents sperm from mixing with the semen that is ejaculated during orgasm, thus preventing pregnancy. The no-scalpel method, which we use here at Pacific Clinic, is when the doctor makes a tiny puncture or hole to reach the tubes, which are then tied off, blocked, or cauterized. There are no scalpels, stitches, or scarring.

While vasectomy reversals are possible, they are not recommended. While vasectomy reversal can be successful, they are not guaranteed to restore fertility, and the success rates vary depending on factors such as the length of time since the vasectomy and one’s age and overall health. A reversal is also much more costly and they are usually not covered by insurance. For this reason, we recommend thinking of a vasectomy as permanent and not temporary.

Washington state mandates that all health insurance companies cover Vasectomies. However, your individual insurance plan may still require out-of-pocket costs such as a copay, coinsurance, or deductible.  Our clinic staff can provide you an estimate, based on your insurance plan & network, of your Vasectomy costs.  The remaining costs of the Vasectomy are processed through an insurance claim filed with your insurance company.  If your out-of-pocket costs are less than the estimate you paid at the time of your service, we will refund you the difference.  We also offer affordable payment options  through CareCredit for patients who are uninsured or have an insurance plan that doesn’t cover Vasectomies due to an employer religious exemption.  We are not enrolled in Tricare due to their network being closed, but we do offer discounts to current active, reserve members, prior service members & retirees of the military. 

The decision to undergo vasectomy is not one to be made lightly. You need to ask the right questions to ensure that you are fully informed and confident in your decision. Here at Pacific Clinic, we make it our mission to provide all our patients with the highest level of customer care, offering support and answering any and all questions along the way.

Our team can provide you with all the information regarding the procedure and help you decide if it is the right choice for you and your family. Please don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation at our Bellevue clinic.