Birth Control

Vasectomy

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What is a vasectomy? A vasectomy may be right for you if… How do vasectomies work? How much does a vasectomy cost? What are the side effects and benefits of vasectomy? Where can you get a vasectomy?

What is a vasectomy?

Vasectomies are permanent birth control (also called sterilization) for people with penises. Not only are they the most effective birth control available (other than not having penis-in-vagina sex at all, ever), they’re simpler and cheaper. A vasectomy is a quick procedure that closes off the vas deferens, which are the tubes that carry sperm. Sperm are cells that combine with other fluids to create semen, the whitish fluid that comes out of your penis when you ejaculate (cum). After a vasectomy, your testicles will still produce sperm, but the sperm cells will die and be reabsorbed into your body.

A vasectomy won’t affect your hormones; the appearance, consistency, or taste of your semen; your sex drive; your enjoyment of sex (if anything, you may enjoy it more because you no longer have to worry about causing a pregnancy); or your sexual performance. So you can still ejaculate after a vasectomy, and nothing about sex will change. All that’s different is that there won’t be any sperm cells in your semen so you won’t be able to cause a pregnancy.

Vasectomies can take up to 12 weeks to become fully effective, so to prevent pregnancy, you’ll need to use another form of birth control after the procedure until your provider performs a test that shows your semen doesn’t contain sperm anymore.

While it is sometimes possible to reverse a vasectomy, the reversal procedure is more complicated and more expensive than the vasectomy itself, and there is no guarantee that it will work. In-vitro fertilization is possible after vasectomy, but it can be very expensive, it’s often not covered by insurance, and it also is not guaranteed to end in pregnancy. It’s best to plan for vasectomy to be permanent.

Quick Facts

Permanent, super effective pregnancy prevention for people with penises.

Effectiveness

Vasectomy is super effective—it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent pregnancy.

Perfect use: Over 99% effective

Typical use: Over 99% effective

What are perfect use and typical use?
Hormones

Sterilization is hormone-free.
Side effects

Possible pain or discomfort right after the procedure.
Cost

As low as $0 (with insurance) or as high as $2,000
STI protection

Sterilization doesn’t protect against STIs.
Ongoing effort

Once the procedure is done, you’ll need a follow-up test, but after that there’s nothing more to do.

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A vasectomy may be right for you if…

Effectiveness at preventing pregnancy is a top priority for you.

Vasectomies are over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. That means fewer than one out of every 100 people who have had a vasectomy will get someone else pregnant over the course of a year.

You want birth control that won’t affect your hormones (or your partner’s!).

If you are looking for super effective pregnancy prevention that will have no effect on your hormones, a vasectomy may be a good option for you.

You don’t want to have to remember anything for your birth control to work.

Vasectomies are great if you don’t want to worry about birth control every time you have sex. Once you have the procedure and confirm that there’s no sperm in your semen a few weeks later, there’s nothing else for you to do—you’ve got birth control for life.

You aren’t looking for STI protection, or you’re okay with combining a vasectomy with another method.

While a vasectomy will protect against pregnancy, it won’t offer any STI protection. So if that’s something you’re looking for, you can use condoms or internal condoms along with getting a vasectomy. Dental dams and/or gloves also offer STI protection, depending on what kind of sex you’re having. You may also want to consider PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), which is a daily pill or an injection you can get every two months to decrease your risk of getting HIV.

You’re sure you don’t want to get anyone pregnant at any time in the future.

Maybe you never wanted to have kids, and you still don’t. Maybe you feel like your family is complete with the child(ren) you currently have, or maybe if your partner got pregnant it would put their health at risk, and they want to make sure to avoid it. Getting a vasectomy can be a good option in these situations.

You don’t mind a method that requires a visit to your health care provider.

Vasectomy is a procedure performed by a health care provider, so you will have to go in person to have it done. It can take a little while for a vasectomy to become effective at keeping sperm out of your semen. You will need to return to your provider a few weeks to a few months after your vasectomy to have your semen tested to see if it still contains sperm––without this test, there’s no way to tell if you can still cause a pregnancy.

You want to take on the responsibility of birth control instead of leaving it to your partner(s).

Maybe you would feel safer and more secure knowing you’re doing everything you can to avoid causing a pregnancy, and that you’re not reliant on your partner(s) to remember to take a pill or do anything else. Or maybe you just want to take the worry off of your partner(s). Whatever your reason for wanting to take on the birth control responsibility, getting a vasectomy is a great way to do it.

The possibility of getting someone pregnant is stressing you out and making sex less fun.

Without having to worry about pregnancy, some people are able to enjoy sex much more. Some people feel that they’re able to be more spontaneous too after having a vasectomy, because they don’t have to interrupt sex to deal with birth control.

How do vasectomies work?

There are two kinds of vasectomies—incision and no-scalpel. Both are quick procedures offered in doctors’ offices, some family planning clinics, and hospitals.

An incision vasectomy takes about 20 minutes.You’ll have a local anesthetic, then a doctor will make one or two small cuts to the scrotum to reach the vas deferens and close them off so that sperm is kept out of your semen. You’ll then get stitches to close the cut or cuts.

A no-scalpel vasectomy involves one tiny puncture instead of a cut or cuts in your scrotum. The doctor will access your vas deferens via the puncture and close them off. The puncture typically heals very quickly with no stitches and doesn’t leave behind a scar.

You will still have sperm in your semen for a while after getting a vasectomy. It can take up to 12 weeks before your vasectomy becomes effective at preventing pregnancy. It’s very important to go back to see your provider to have your semen tested for the presence of sperm before you stop using another form of birth control. Until your semen doesn’t contain sperm anymore, you can still cause a pregnancy.

How much does a vasectomy cost?

With insurance

If you have health insurance—whether it’s from work, school, your parents, the ACA marketplace, or Medicaid—chances are good that you’ll be able to get a vasectomy with no out-of-pocket cost.

Without insurance

If you don’t have insurance or if you’re on a plan that doesn’t cover vasectomies, the cost of sterilization can be pricey up front—a vasectomy can cost up to $2,000. Still, sterilization lasts forever, so compared with other methods, it may end up being cheaper over time because you’re not spending money each month (or year) to cover ongoing birth control.

It may also help to shop around a little. The price for surgical procedures like vasectomies in the U.S. can vary a lot from one provider to another. Call different clinics and hospitals in your area to find the lowest price, and ask about assistance programs for those who qualify.

What are the side effects and benefits of vasectomy?

There are positive and negative things to say about every method. And everyone’s different—so what you experience may not be the same as what someone else experiences.

The Positive

There are lots of things about birth control that are good for your body as well as your sex life. Here are some of the benefits of a vasectomy:

Your method will work for the rest of your life.
There’s no change to your hormones.
Sex might be more fun because you’re not worried about causing a pregnancy.

The Negative

It’s normal to worry about negative side effects, but for many people, they’re not a problem. Potential side effects include:

There is a very small risk that your vas deferens may reconnect, which could lead to a pregnancy.
There could be complications with surgery, like bleeding or infection at the incision site and a very small risk of long-term pain.

In addition to potential side effects, it’s important to keep in mind that vasectomies are very difficult or impossible to undo.

Where can you get a vasectomy?

Vasectomy is available at many family planning clinics, hospitals, and private practices. Find a health center near you.