Vasectomy is a surgical procedure that results in sterilization. The decision to get a vasectomy is personal and should be thoughtfully considered by a couple that is done having children. There are many benefits to vasectomy — especially for you.
1. You can stop using birth control
If a couple has decided they don’t want any more children, vasectomy is the most effective and safest form of birth control. Vasectomies are nearly 100% effective at preventing pregnancy. Only one in 2,000 partners of men who have had vasectomies become pregnant.
Hormonal birth control has side effects that affect women in different ways. Side effects include nausea and headaches. You may also be experiencing mood swings due to the hormones in the contraceptives you are using. Without those extra hormones in your system, you will be able to regulate your mood and feel more like yourself. Plus you won’t have to remember to take a pill every day!
You’ll also be able to stop using physical birth control, so you won’t have to pause the action. You will be able to get — and stay — caught up in the moment.
Unlike other forms of birth control, vasectomy is permanent, so there is only a one-time cost. The price may be initially cheaper with other forms of birth control, like the pill or condoms. It adds up over the years for a greater expense in the long run.
Vasectomy is also cheaper than other forms of contraception. On average, tubal ligation can cost as much as $8,500. The cost of a vasectomy without insurance is $1,550. This includes the assessment appointment, the vasectomy procedure, and the follow-up semen check.
2. You can avoid tubal ligation
Avoiding tubal ligation is a huge benefit of vasectomy. Comparatively, tubal ligation is a more complicated and invasive surgery. It has a longer recovery period.
Vasectomy requires simple local anesthesia. This allows it to be performed in an office-based surgical facility. Tubal ligation requires general anesthesia. This means that it must be done in an operating room. General anesthesia has greater risks than local anesthesia.
Vasectomy is a less invasive procedure. This results in a significantly decreased risk of bleeding and infection. Unlike tubal ligation, there are no vital organs in the area where vasectomy is being performed.
Tubal ligation takes two to three hours. It may require an overnight hospital stay for monitoring. A vasectomy takes about 30 minutes. Patients are able to return home immediately to rest. They should stay home from work for the next two days. On the third day, vasectomy patients can return to work and light activity. After a week, they can return to regular physical activity.
Recovery after tubal ligation can take up to a week.
3. …and avoid a tubal ligation failure
Tubal ligation is less effective than vasectomy. It has a 0.5% failure rate compared to vasectomy’s 0.15% failure rate. One failure of tubal ligation is an ectopic pregnancy. This can cause a severe health risk and an unsuccessful, painful pregnancy.