Vasectomy is considered a permanent method of birth control. Although there may be several reasons why a man might consider a vasectomy, the most common setting occurs after a man has conceived one or more children with his partner. Concerns regarding the future of one’s family can be the driving force in the decision to take control of one’s reproductive potential.
Uncertainty over the future seems to increase daily. Higher taxes, federal and state, are forecasted. The prices of some foods are on the rise. College tuitions are soaring. Cable, phone, water, and electric rates seem to be growing. And now, at least for some people, it appears that health insurance premiums and deductibles are increasing substantially.
Vasectomy is generally performed as an office procedure, (though it can be performed under anesthesia in the situation of patient anxiety or difficult anatomy) and takes about twenty to thirty minutes to perform.
Vasectomy is literally the removal of a small portion of the vas, which is a muscular tube that transports sperm from the testis and epididymis to the ejaculatory ducts. In addition, the cut or transected ends of the vas are sealed and cauterized. By doing this, sperm are prevented from entering the fluid in the ejaculate. Since no sperm come out, pregnancy is prevented.
Vasectomy is not associated with any long term sequelae, and, in my hands, the incidence of any complications such as bleeding, infection, failure or pain is well under one percent.
Finally, insurance companies seem to like to pay for vasectomy; it is almost always a covered service. This may be in part due to the fact that vasectomies are not only cost effective for the patient but also for the insurance plan.
