Vasectomy Myths And Questions

Just like the other types of contraception myths those tied to the procedure of permanent contraception, in this case the vasectomy, are no less in need of debunking. They are usually divided into three categories. They either have to do with sexual performance, the surgical process itself or with the reversal procedure.

To begin with many men question the outcome of this procedure on their sexual performance and enjoyment. The first question often asked is if having a vasectomy will mean that there will be a loss of sexual desire. Men often want to know if it affects their libido. This is an odd question because it would mean that sexual desire was tied to a man’s sperm count and it simply Is not. Neither is sperm count responsible for a man’s ability to have an erection. This is another question concern voiced; will they still be able to have a normal erection. Finally men will want to know if they will still be able to enjoy having sex after the operation is done. Interestingly the answer to this one surprises many men because the answer is that most men enjoy sex even more with the worry about unwanted pregnancy so longer a concern.

Despite the fact that vasectomies are done as a permanent answer to contraception many men still want to know if it can be reversed. With relationships the way they are and marriages no longer being a lifetime commitment, they seem to want a back-up plan should their current relationship dissolve. The answer is a complex one. Only about forty percent of reversals will work, but as time goes on and the years since the procedure was done accumulate there is less chance of a reversal working. If it has been over twenty five years the chances of a reversal working goes down to only twenty five percent, while fifteen to twenty four years sits at about forty percent. Still there can be surprises. A doctor in Los Angeles recently made history by successfully reversing a vasectomy after fifty seven years.

One of the controversial things about reversals has to do with the age of the man’s wife at the time the procedure may be done. Some medical practitioners say she should not be over thirty seven. The reason for this is as the woman gets older her chances of conceiving get smaller. The thinking is that instead of risking the disappointment of a reversal based on her age it might be better for the couple to try in vitro instead. For women who are thirty seven to forty they have only a thirty two percent chance of getting pregnant. Some physicians think this is too small for the husband to chance an unnecessary medical procedure. It costs less to have the reversal and a second vasectomy then to go through the procedure of an in vitro fertilization. The facts are this decision can only be made by couple who should they be looking at this option in an informed way.

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