More than 18,000 men in the UK choose vasectomy as their method of contraception every year and at bpas we’ve been specialising in reproductive healthcare for over 40 years.
Vasectomy has become increasingly popular as a safe, effective and permanent form of contraception. You should only consider it if you are sure you never want children or you and your partner do not want any more children. It is best not to consider a vasectomy immediately or soon after your partner has given birth, or had a miscarriage or an abortion.
What does vasectomy involve?
When you have sex, sperm travels through two tubes (the vas deferens) and mix with semen before you ejaculate. With a vasectomy, the tubes are tied or sealed so that sperm cannot reach the semen. You still ejaculate after a vasectomy but your semen does not have any sperm in it, so the risk of pregnancy is extremely low.
Non Scalpel Vasectomy
A second form of vasectomy is also available from bpas. It is called non scalpel vasectomy, and is a technique that makes operating time shorter and recovery quicker. The basic difference is that the tubes (vas deferens) are not cut but sealed with a microscopic instrument. .
Vasectomy is over 99.9% effective so it’s the most reliable from of male contraception. The procedure is carried out by a highly trained doctor usually using local anaesthetic and only takes 15 minutes.
In some locations, the cost will be covered by the NHS. In order to make an appointment under these contracts, you will usually have to book through your GP or local family planning clinic.