October 01, 2024
Each year on Sweetest Day (this year on October 19), many men struggle for a meaningful gift for their partner.
At MidLantic Urology, we have an idea.
If you are certain you don’t want to have children, or are finished having them, a vasectomy could be the most appreciated gift you’ll ever give. It’s a safe and successful birth control method; more than 99.99% effective at preventing pregnancy.
The procedure is easier than you may think. You’ll receive a numbing medicine before the 15- to 20-minute procedure begins. Using one or two tiny incisions, your urologist will snip each vas deferens (tubes that carry sperm) and seal them to prevent the passage of sperm.
A vasectomy does not affect:
• Your ability to perform sexually.
• The sensation felt during intercourse.
• Your ability to achieve orgasm.
• Your ability to ejaculate.
• The look and texture of your semen.
• Your hormone levels, which means no change to your sex drive, voice pitch, hair distribution.
A vasectomy does not prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
You’ll return home with an ice pack with instructions to lie down for 6-8 hours. While numb you may be tempted to resume your normal activity. Don’t! It’s important to rest. Swollen and achy testicles are normal for a week or so.
In the five days after surgery you’ll need to avoid heavy lifting, exercise, and sexual intercourse.
It usually takes a few months. Your urologist will take a semen sample to confirm you’re sterile about two to three months after the vasectomy. Until then, you and your partner should use birth control.
NOTE: Think of vasectomy as a permanent form of birth control. Although there's a procedure to reverse a vasectomy, it isn't always successful.
Vasectomies are available at MidLantic Urology locations throughout Philadelphia and surrounding counties. Find the office closest to you.