Vasectomy

A vasectomy is an operation that makes a man permanently unable to get a woman pregnant. It involves cutting the 2 tubes called vas deferens so that sperm can no longer get into the semen.

A vasectomy is usually done in your doctor’s office or in an outpatient surgery center. The operation takes about half an hour. You’ll be awake during the procedure. Your doctor will give you a local anesthetic to numb your scrotum.

After you’re numb, your doctor will make a very small puncture (hole) on one side of your scrotum and pull out part of the vas deferens on that side. You may feel some tugging and pulling. A small section of the vas deferens is removed. The ends of the vas deferens will be sealed with small clamps. Your doctor will then do the same thing on the other side.

The puncture is so small that it heals without stitches.

Vasectomy may be the safest, most effective kind of birth control. Only about 15 out of 10,000 couples get pregnant the first year after a vasectomy.