A vasectomy is a surgical procedure that prevents the release of sperm when a man ejaculates. A vasectomy is considered a permanent method of birth control.
During a vasectomy, the vas deferens from each testicle is clamped, cut, or otherwise sealed. This prevents sperm from mixing with the semen that is ejaculated from the penis. An egg cannot be fertilized when there are no sperm in the semen. The testicles continue to produce sperm, but the sperm are reabsorbed by the body. (This also happens to sperm that are not ejaculated after a while, regardless of whether you have had a vasectomy.) Because the tubes are blocked before the seminal vesicles and prostate, you still ejaculate about the same amount of fluid.
It usually takes several weeks after a vasectomy for all remaining sperm to be ejaculated or reabsorbed. You must use another method of birth control until you have a semen sample tested and it shows a zero sperm count. Otherwise, you can still get your partner pregnant.
Vasectomy Reversal
Resources
| Video: Learn more about Vasectomy (by Dr. Jared Bieniek) |
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| Health Library: Learn more about Vasectomy |
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| Learn more about Vasectomy Reversal |
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| Learn more about Men's Health & Sexual Function |
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