A page on the acceptability, procedure, reversibility, effectiveness, pains, risks and complications of vasectomy. Male sterilisation And permanent birth control for men
So today, I would love to talk about something that we have all mentioned in one way or the other this last few days on Twitter and provide a simple medical explanation on the topic.
In the next few tweets I will be talking on Vasectomy.
Some few days ago, I did a little poll here on my page to try and find out how much men know about #Vasectomy and how many more are willing to have one done. And here attached are screenshots of the results. Please have a look. What do you think of those results?
For the sake of discussion, I’m going to assume all the voters were men. Anyway, out of 506 men, 86% have heard of vasectomy before while 14% has not. However out of 329 men, 52% were willing to have a vasectomy done, but up to 48% say they would not. Wow.
This says a lot.
Now in a situation where almost 90% of a group of people have heard of a potentially beneficial thing but almost 50% are willing to have it done, that ultimately reflects that while MOST people have heard of vasectomy, quite a lot of people are very unwilling to have it.
What does that gap in difference between KNOWLEDGE of and READINESS for a #Vasectomy reveal? It largely reveals and reflects a LACK OF GOOD UNDERSTANDING of what #Vasectomy entails and what it is all about. That’s probably why we have such a high percentage averse to the idea.
Anyway to the topic of the day.
What is a Vasectomy?
A vasectomy (also called male sterilisation or permanent male contraception) is a surgical procedure to cut or seal the tubes that carry a man’s sperm with the aim to permanently prevent pregnancy.
I must quickly add a caveat here though. While vasectomy is regarded as a “permanent” form of male contraception and while some people refer to it as “male sterilisation”, it is actually a reversible procedure. So technically, as long as it is not tampered with, it is permanent.
Do I need to be admitted to hospital to have itdone and is it a major procedure?
No. A vasectomy is not a major procedure at all. Being admitted to hospital is not the norm as it is a simple procedure, the incisions are small, and the equipment needed is routine.
How long does it take to have a Vasectomy done?
In most places, a Vasectomy takes under 15 minutes. Yes you heard me right. 15 minutes. I once spoke with someone who told me he had his done in 10 minutes. Bottom line is that this is a simple uncomplicated procedure.
So before we go too far. Let’s do a simple bit of biology.
Just for you to understand HOW a vasectomy works and WHY it is effective.
Look at the attached picture because it will help you understand what I’m about to explain.
Okay here it is.
When a man has sex and ejaculates, what comes out is called SEMEN (not ‘sperm’).
Sperm is a PART of semen, and it’s not the only thing that makes up the whitish fluid called semen/cum.
Now as I said that semen is made up of a lot of things including sperm and many other things.
Infact, what is called “cum” contains sperm, proteins (some people say 200 kinds of protein), enzymes, glucose, fructose, zinc, galactose, vitamins, minerals etc.
It’s quite a rich fluid that contains everything needed for the sperm to survive and swim to reach the woman’s egg.
The “sperm” is the part of the semen/cum that causes a pregnancy. It’s the presence of sperm in semen that makes it potent and makes a woman pregnant.
Take out the sperm and what you have left when a man ejaculates is just a rich protein fluid as harmless as a Vanilla Ice Cream.
So when a man ejaculates, that fluid is a combination of sperm produced in the testis, stored in the epididymis and transported through the vas deferentia tubes.
The rest of the semen comes from the bulbourethral and prostate before it comes out through the urethra in the Penis.
Now what I explained in the tweet before this is the answer to the question “How is SEMEN produced?”
I understand the terms may be a bit difficult, just look at the attached picture to the tweet, look for the different parts in the diagram, use that to understand what I wrote.
What happens in a vasectomy is that the tubes which carry sperm from a man’s testis to the penis are cut, blocked or sealed.
This then means when the man has sex, the semen has no sperm in it and the woman can’t get pregnant.
Is that clear?
what happens in a #Vasectomy is that the tube that carries the sperm from the testicles is tied or snipped, so that the semen that comes from the other end into the penis is free of sperm and cannot impregnate a woman.
See this pictures.
What of pain?
A Vasectomy is a quick and relatively painless minor surgery.
For most people, you’ll be able to return home the same day.
When some people hear vasectomy, they imagine castration, or violent removal of testis or using a suya knife to slash off their penis.
No. That’s not the case. Itis a very minor procedure of about 15 minutes.
Does it disfigure the penis?
NO. It doesn’t disfigure the penis and nobody will know you had anything done except you choose to tell them. So the idea of being castrated or emasculated is wrong.
Are there different types of #Vasectomy?
Yes. There are 2 types of vasectomy:
1. The conventional vasectomy using a scalpel (surgical knife)
2. The no-scalpel vasectomy. Your doctor will discuss which option is best for you.
Can a man still ejaculate after a vasectomy?
Yes. He can still ejaculate and have orgasm. As a matter of fact, a German research claims that men have better orgasms, higher sex drive and stronger erections.
Infact, on a lighter note, there’s no psychological motivation to sex than knowing that what you are doing can absolutely not lead to any pregnancy whatsoever.
So do men still have an erection, still ejaculate and have orgasm after a Vasectomy? Absolutely, Yes.
Does Vasectomy mean no ejaculation?
What is called semen/cum is made in seminal vesicles and prostate. Vasectomy doesn’t affect this so the man can still ejaculate. Sperm make up only 2 to 5 per cent of semen so he won’t even know any difference in the volume of what comes out.
Are there any risks with it?
As with any surgery no matter how minor, there are theoretical risks like infection, pain and bleeding. However these are actually practically very uncommon. Infact for most men, it’s more a feeling of discomfort rather than pain after the procedure.
Now to the MOST IMPORTANT bit of it all. There’s a LOT of counselling BEFORE it. Because the procedure is considered a permanent method of contraception, men are usually advised to consider the long-term impact of a vasectomy on themselves emotionally and physically.
As a matter of fact, itis not usually encouraged for YOUNG SINGLE men without children as the probability for a normal unassisted fatherhood are thereby more/less permanently reduced to almost zero.
So it’s not a decision you make as a young man without thinking well.
If you are a 30 year old man, or say less than 35, and you haven’t had children, most doctors will be quite unwilling to do it for you.
Not that they absolutely will not, they only want you to take a lot of time before you make the decision, just so you don’t regret it later.
However if you are a middle aged man, say in your late 40s or 50s or even 60s, married and you have had many children, and you are sure you don’t want any more children, then having a simple ten-minute vasectomy is a perfect contraception option for you. And your wife.
It saves her the headaches of using pills for years, some of which hold very high risks of worsening migraines, breast cancers or even developing clots in the chest/legs that can cause sudden death in the woman. So men, the ball is in our court. Or can be in our court. Really.
For instance in the viral story I shared a few days back of how a man who already had five children got tired of his wife getting pregnant & got her womb removed without her consent, if only someone sat him down to educate him well on vasectomy, that woman may still have a womb.
And that takes me to the next point, if you have a partner, discuss it with her/him before you do it. If possible, you should both agree to the idea, but it’s notlegally required to get your partner’s permission. But it’s ideal and preferable that you be on the same page.
So is vasectomy reversible?
Yes, it is. So think about it. You are a man, with a good family, you don’t want any more children. Why not just do a simple 10 minute procedure that keeps your mind at peace about pregnancy?
Anyway, let me stop before Sugar Daddies use this idea.