These days, there are a lot of ways that we can do to prevent pregnancies. One of them is through a vasectomy procedure. Although vasectomy in Singapore is not as common as in other parts of the world, the efficiency and safety of this procedure are worth considering.
My name is Dr Lewis Liew, and I am specialised in urology. My experiences in the field of urology have allowed me to share my knowledge about this particular procedure. Therefore, I have written this article to debunk the top 4 common myths about vasectomy.
What is Vasectomy?
Vasectomy is a permanent method of contraception that is done by cutting a man’s sperm channel (vas deferens). [1] Yes, it sounds scary, and there are myths surrounding vasectomy. However, fear not, the myths are about to be debunked. I have selected 4 popular myths surrounding vasectomy that I will clarify to you!
1. “Vasectomy means castration”
The answer is no, vasectomy is not equal to castration. While castration is the removal of testicles, vasectomy is simply blocking the tube by snipping it, so that the sperm cannot be released. You will still be able to release the semen, except the semen will be like an empty vessel because there is no sperm in the semen.
2. “The vasectomy procedure is painful”
The procedure itself will only take 10 to 20 minutes. You will feel uncomfortable when the doctor is injecting the anaesthesia and after the anaesthesia wears off but it is not going to be more painful than when someone accidentally kicks your testicles.
Here’s what you need to do after getting a vasectomy:
- Rest for 1 to 2 days
- Wear loose underwear
- Avoid doing hard labour.
However, there’s still a risk of complication although the pain will normally fade away in a week, and therefore you can continue your activity as usual.
3. “I won’t be able to have sex”
You can still have sex because vasectomy will not affect your libido. Your sex life will be normal, you can still erect, and you can definitely ejaculate. The only concern is, you still have to use protection for a few months because there are still ‘excess sperm’ that need to be removed by ejaculating before you can have sex without protection. [2]
4. “Vasectomy affects my performance during sex”
Your performance during sex will not be affected after a vasectomy. In fact, a research study conducted in Germany shows that 37.9% men who got vasectomised had an improved sexual life because contraception is no longer needed [3].
Vasectomy makes your sexual life more intimate. Moreover, your testosterone level will not be affected as well. Please keep in mind that you can still contract STDs, therefore I would advise you to still use protection before having sex, especially if you are sexually adventurous.
In Conclusion
Even though vasectomy is proven to reduce the risk of pregnancy, it won’t eliminate the risk of you getting HIV or sexually transmitted diseases if you have unprotected sex with multiple partners. Therefore, you should still use condoms as a form of protection if you are likely to change partners. Moreover, you will have to do a follow-up post-vasectomy with your doctor to check and make sure there are no sperm left. In order to do that, you need to give your sperm sample to your doctor.
All in all, there are also things to consider before getting a vasectomy, such as making sure that the decision is mutual.
This procedure is not advised to men below 30 years old or couples who are planning to have children. There are also risks of complications such as: [4]
- Chronic pain
- Swollen scrotum
- Bleeding
You can also ‘undo’ vasectomy by doing a vasovasostomy. This procedure is done by sewing the ends of your vas deferens from the testes to the penis. [5] However, this procedure is far more painful than vasectomy and requires more time to heal. Therefore, it is advised to consult your doctor if you are planning on getting a vasectomy.
