Designed to be permanent

Vasectomy is a small procedure, but a large decision. Before you actually have a vasectomy, you should think about it carefully, because a vasectomy is designed to be permanent. If you are sure you want no more children in the future, vasectomy may be an excellent choice.

More than 500,000 vasectomies performed a year

Vasectomy relieves the man and woman from fear of pregnancy. In today’s world, it is important for men to have a responsible role in birth control. More than 500,000 vasectomies and 500,000 tubal ligations are performed in the United States each year. Vasectomy is safer and more cost-effective than tubal ligation, with fewer complications and a lower failure rate. The few failures (1 in 1,000 or less) can be found by postoperatively checking semen. In the United States, 10 to 15 women die each year after undergoing tubal ligation. No man has ever died from vasectomy. If more men had vasectomies, health care costs could be reduced and complications minimized.

Far less frightening

Vasectomy simply blocks the travel of sperm to the penis. Vasectomy prevents the sperm from getting out of the man’s body. It does not cause voice changes, hair loss, impotence, or loss of sexual desire. Male hormones are not affected by vasectomy, and they continue to circulate normally. The no-scalpel method has a major psychological advantage: it is far less frightening to the male patient.