Vasectomy, also known as male sterilization, minor surgical procedure performed on males to permanently prevent them from conceiving a child (seeBirth Control). In the operation, each of the two vas deferens (ducts that carry sperm from the testes to the urethra) is blocked in order to prevent sperm from mixing with the semen produced by the male during ejaculation.

Vasectomies are more than 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, and they are a popular, safe form of permanent birth control. In the United States, 7 percent of women aged 15 to 44 who use contraception rely on the sterilization of their male partner to prevent pregnancy.

A relatively simple procedure, a vasectomy requires only local anesthesia and can be performed in a physician's office or outpatient clinic. A physician makes a small incision in the scrotum, the external pouch of skin that holds each testis. Each vas deferens is pulled through the incision and the physician cuts and seals the ends of the ducts. Each vas deferens is then put back in place and the incision is closed.

After a vasectomy, the scrotum may be swollen and sore for about three days. Generally, most men are able to return to work in one to two days. Occasionally, however, complications may develop from the operation, including an infection or swelling in the area of the incision, bleeding under the skin, and leakage of sperm into the tissues surrounding the vas deferens.

Because some sperm may have been in the tubes beyond the point at which they were cut, a vasectomy is not immediately effective. It takes about three months for all sperm to completely disappear from the semen. Until the vasectomy takes effect, a couple must use another method of birth control to prevent pregnancy. A vasectomy does not affect a man's ability to have an erection and ejaculate. The testes continue to produce sperm after a vasectomy, which are simply reabsorbed by the body.

Vasectomy has become increasingly popular in both the United States and Canada. It is also well accepted in many other countries. Nevertheless, vasectomy is still met with suspicion or legal sanctions in some countries, and some religious groups oppose it on the same grounds they oppose all other methods of contraception.

Very rarely, an individual may request a vasectomy reversal. This can often be accomplished surgically, but fertility is restored in only about half of all cases. In general, vasectomy should be considered permanent and irreversible.

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