Vasectomy and Vasovasostomy - Introduction

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The decision to have a vasectomy should be made only after serious consideration. The surgery is intended to be permanent. Most men who seek a vasectomy have been married for 10 years or more. Not all are good candidates, however. It is important that both the woman and the man completely agree that they no longer want to have children. They should also agree that permanent birth control is the right decision for them. Ideally, the couple should view the operation as a mutual commitment to an already successful marriage or relationship. Vasectomy is generally not a good idea if the couple's relationship is under great stress. It is not a cure for emotional or sexual problems between a man and woman.

Single men, some of them younger, may also choose to have a vasectomy. Physicians may refuse to perform the procedure depending on how young the person is, or ask these men to wait for a year or even more.

Review Date: 11/04/2010
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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