Vasectomy is a male form of contraception which is very safe. It is usually performed under either a local anaesthesia or general anaesthesia. Prior to any planned vasectomy patients should be advised that they should consider other contraceptive means. The most important aspect to consider prior to a vasectomy is that it is a form of male sterilisation. This does mean that in order to reverse it, further procedures would need to take place. Therefore, a good deal of consideration before a vasectomy is needed to ensure the patient is happy to proceed.

Vasectomy at a glance

The NHS offers the following facts about a Vasectomy, for you to fully consider before having the procedure:

• A vasectomy is more than 99% effective
• It’s considered permanent, so once it’s done you don’t have to think about contraception again
• It doesn’t affect your sex drive or ability to enjoy sex. You’ll still have erections and ejaculate, but your semen won’t contain sperm
• You’ll need to use contraception for at least 8 to 12 weeks after the operation, because sperm will still be in the tubes leading to the penis
• Up to 2 semen tests are done after the operation to make sure that all the sperm have gone
• Your ball sack (scrotum) may become bruised, swollen or painful – some men have ongoing pain in their testicles
• As with any surgery, there’s a small risk of infection
• It’s very difficult to reverse, so be sure it’s right for you
• A vasectomy doesn’t protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), so you may need to use condoms as well

Find out more about having a Vasectomy

Take a look at our Vasectomy page here. Here you will find out what to expect before having the procedure, details about the procedure itself and more and vital information about the recovery period.