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What Are The Odds Of Getting Pregnant After Vasectomy?

Vasectomy is a surgical procedure for male sterilization or permanent birth control. During the vasectomy, the vasa deferentia (the tubes that carry sperm) are cut and tied or sealed to prevent sperm from entering the seminal stream (semen). Vasectomy is usually performed in an out-patient procedure or can be done on an in-patient basis under general anesthesia.

A Urologist in Brooklyn, New York, or trained surgeon performs a vasectomy. While it takes less than half an hour to complete, men are advised to take one week off work for physical and psychological recovery.

How Does A Vasectomy Affect Male Fertility?

A vasectomy makes a man sterile immediately. It is effective at stopping pregnancy instantly. After the procedure, there are still some sperm left in the vasa deferentia, which continue to live for several weeks. These leftover sperm are what causes pregnancy. If you have sex within six months of your vasectomy, there is no guarantee that the vasectomy was successful.

If You Decide to Get Your Partner Pregnant, Can the Vasectomy be Reversed?

A vasectomy can be reversed, but there are no guarantees that it will work. It is a complicated surgery, and vasectomy reversal is impossible in some cases. The process of reversing a vasectomy consists of reconnecting the vasa deferentia or joining the ends of each cut vas together. There are no guarantees that reversal surgery will allow a man to impregnate his partner, but it is possible.

Reversal is also expensive and can cost thousands of dollars; many men get vasectomies because they feel more financially responsible. If you get your partner pregnant after a vasectomy, it’s possible the baby won’t be yours.

Can Vasectomies Affect Your Sex Drive?

A vasectomy will not make you less of a man or change how often you have sex. It doesn’t decrease libido or sex drive, and there should be no noticeable change in the amount of sex you produce.

So, What Are The Odds Of Getting Pregnant After a Vasectomy?

The odds of getting pregnant after vasectomy are meager (less than 1 percent), but it can happen. To become pregnant sperm must somehow find its way past the vasa deferentia and into the semen, in which case pregnancy is possible. Even in cases of vasectomy failure, it is rare that sperm manages to find its way into the semen.

What Increases Your Odds of Vasectomy Failure?

There are instances when a man might be more likely to get his partner pregnant after a vasectomy. These include:

  • A man who had a vasectomy over ten years ago is wondering whether the procedure was successful.
  • A couple used another form of birth control during the first three months after a vasectomy and did not use any backup contraception right away.
  • A man whose partner became pregnant within three months of getting a vasectomy wondered if the procedure failed.
  • A man whose partner had a tubal ligation and is now looking to reverse his vasectomy
  • If you experience an early vasectomy failure, there might be leftover sperm.
  • If you have unprotected sex with your partner within six months of vasectomy, it is possible that pregnancy can occur.

A vasectomy does not decrease a man’s sex drive or libido, there should be no noticeable change in your sexual satisfaction. If you have sex within six months of a vasectomy, it is possible the procedure didn’t work, and pregnancy can occur. Pregnancy rarely occurs after vasectomy failure as sperm rarely finds its way into the semen. Vasectomy failure happens when all or part of a man’s vas deferens has managed to grow back together, which can occur months or years after surgery. If you do get your partner pregnant after a vasectomy, there is no guarantee it will be yours in most cases.

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