Having (and Reversing) a Vasectomy

Vasectomies. It's a topic of conversation that'll get men unconsciously crossing their legs whenever it is brought up. But as much as we are uncomfortable seeing “sharp knife” and “testicles” in the same sentence, let alone in the same room, a vasectomy is usually the best option for couples looking for a permanent birth control solution. The other option – female sterilization, or tubal ligation – is more expensive, carries more risks, and has a longer recovery period. But despite the stats, only 9 percent of sexually active men in the U.S. get vasectomies, compared to 27 percent of women receiving tubal ligations.

If you do decide to get a vasectomy, here's what you can expect:

Your doctor will give you a local anesthetic and make a small incision in the scrotum. From there he will pull out the vas deferens, the pathway that carries semen from the testicles. He will cut this and seal it, before closing up the incision. The whole process will take from 10 to 15 minutes. You will be back to work within 24 hours.

Post-op, there will be some soreness and swelling, which you may address with over the counter pain meds and an ice pack. You can be back at the gym in about a week.

Note that immediately following a vasectomy you are still able to sire a child. You will need to ejaculate at least 20 times after you have had the procedure to ensure there is no sperm left in your ducts.

A vasectomy is a permanent method of birth control – except when it is not. Around 10 percent of men decide to reverse their surgery, and that process is successful 80 to 90 percent of the time. The reversal is effected by sewing the severed ends of the vas deferens back together. If you decide you want children but don't want to go back under the blade, your doctor can extract sperm from your testicles for in-vitro fertilization.

It's important to note that a vasectomy in no way diminishes your virility: you've still got bullets instead of blanks, they're just not making it into the barrel.

Vasectomy reversal does have one caveat, however: the out-of-pocket expense. The insurance company that happily paid for your vasectomy because it was in their best interest that you have no offspring will almost never pay for its reversal.