Couples
often have a lot of questions concerning birth control, especially permanent sterilization.
For women, this may be a most intimate area of health care to discuss. Every couple
should consider the vasectomy procedure carefully and together.
As
a woman, you may not know that tubal ligation procedures (female sterilization)
outnumber vasectomies in the United States by 2 to 1. This is surprising because
vasectomy is generally considered safer and simpler than tubal ligation.
Once
informed about the pros and cons of each procedure, some husbands are making the
"loving choice" of vasectomy over the more invasive female sterilization
procedure.
The
ultimate forum for discussing your concerns and questions is with your partner
in a medical consultation with your doctor.
Don't
hesitate to ask your physician candid questions.
You
may have candid questions that require correct, current medical information from
your doctor. For example, women often wonder how a vasectomy will affect a man's
sexual performance or appearance following surgery.
Here
are a few answers that can answer your most common questions:
·
Vasectomy does not affect a man's sexual performance or ejaculation, unless he
is harbors fears or misconceptions of his own. Sperm is a tiny portion of the
seminal fluid that is released at ejaculation. A vasectomy does not change the
volume, color or consistency of the ejaculate. The quality, intensity and duration
of a man's orgasm and ejaculate will not change after vasectomy.
·
After a vasectomy, it is usually best to wait a week or two following surgery
before returning to sexual activity. It may be many more weeks before the man
is considered sterile.
·
A vasectomy is a tiny surgical procedure-especially the No-Scalpel Vasectomy method-that
leaves no scars, lumps, bumps or any other noticeable difference to the feel or
appearance of the scrotum.
·
It's not true that tubal ligation is just as easy and safe as vasectomy. In fact,
a vasectomy is far easier, faster and poses much less risk for complications than
tubal ligation. Vasectomy does not require a general anesthetic or long recovery
time.
