Is it time to consider your family planning options?
Caring and experienced, Dr David Ward performs vasectomies under general anaesthetic at Albany Health Campus and Albany Day Hospital.
Dr Ward also performs vasectomies under local anaesthetic in our rooms at SRMG.
A vasectomy is a surgical procedure that sterilises a man, preventing him from fathering children. Essentially, it is a highly effective form of contraception.
Vasectomies are a minor operation that cuts and seals off the vas deferens tubes that carry sperm from your testicles to your penis. This stops your sperm from mixing with your semen and reaching your penis.
Having a vasectomy provides a safe and permanent means of contraception. Below are some common reasons why men have vasectomies:
You will not be sterile immediately.
It takes about 3 months for sperm to be cleared. It is therefore important to have your semen tested to ensure a complete clearance of sperm. The first semen test is usually performed 3 months after the vasectomy procedure. You cannot assume that you will be sterile until informed.
A very small proportion of vasectomies fail. This is why it is important to use contraception until a semen test is clear.
Physically a vasectomy makes no difference to your sex drive or performance, other than a very small reduction in the volume of ejaculation fluid.
Testosterone and semen production also remain unaffected (apart from sperm no longer being mixed into the semen).
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Common side effects of a vasectomy include:
This can usually relieved by rest, ice packs, simple pain medications and supportive underwear.
More serious complications are extremely rare and can include:
