Vasectomy

With the ends only tied and cut, 60 men in 100 are clear twelve weeks on.

Also called Male sterilization, Male sterilization, No-scalpel vasectomy, NSV, Permanent male contraception, Vasoligation

Who it's forAny man certain his family is finished, with a partner who's certain too.

The item

Three squares: proven in human trials. Two: a strong signal. One: early human data. Striped: the trials disagree.

Drive

Buffs

Vasectomy prevents pregnancy, with failure well under 1 percent
Mucosal cautery occlusion techniques hold occlusive failure below 1 percent
Fertility persists for weeks to months until a semen analysis proves clearance
Reversal patency and pregnancy fall as the interval since vasectomy lengthens
Sexual function and satisfaction are unchanged or improved after vasectomy
New scrotal pain follows roughly one vasectomy in seven, and three times more often after scalpel than no-scalpel
Vasovasostomy outperforms vasoepididymostomy on patency, pregnancy and live birth
Vasectomy is not associated with high-grade, advanced or fatal prostate cancer
Regret runs between 2 and 7 percent, concentrated
A longer obstructive interval lowers sperm yield at epididymal aspiration
Flushing the distal vas during the operation does not shorten the time to azoospermia

Debuffs

Know firstFertility continues after the operation until a semen analysis says otherwise
Know firstPermanent by design: reversal is a separate microsurgical operation whose success falls with every year that passes
Know firstPost-vasectomy pain syndrome, three months or more of scrotal pain, in about 5 percent
Know firstPregnancy after the procedure, documented from 6 to 72 weeks out
ManageableNew-onset scrotal pain at seven months in about 15 percent, mean severity 3.4 out of 10
ManageableHematoma and wound infection, both several-fold lower with the no-scalpel approach
ManageableOcclusive failure requiring a repeat vasectomy, higher with ligation-only techniques and non-urologist operators
MildPain during the procedure under local anesthetic
MildWeeks of continued contraception while the semen clears
MildA first semen analysis showing rare non-motile sperm, which still counts as cleared

“Book the snip once your family's finished, then don't trust it until the lab does.”

Emergency: call 911.

I am not a doctor. This is not medical advice. This is self-education. Talk to a physician who has your history before you change anything.