Many couples opt for permanent methods when it comes to preventing pregnancy. Men can get a vasectomy and prevent impregnating their partner, whether they use any kind of birth control or not, whether she is in her most fertile period or not. Once this permanent step is taken, can you go back? What if you want to have just one more kid?
Vasectomy is a surgical method that prevents a man from fathering a child. It will cut or block the tubes that carry the sperm from his testicles to the urethra. Though he can still ejaculate and produce semen, the semen will not contain any sperm in it. This is a preferred form of birth control for many couples who don’t want to take the chances of getting pregnant due to a failed contraceptive.
Though a vasectomy is a permanent contraceptive, it can be reversed surgically. The man has to undergo a reversal procedure after which he can start ejaculating semen with sperm in it. A vasectomy will not alter or affect the quality or quantity of sperm produced.
A vasectomy is very successful if you follow all the rules. It surgically seals the tubes that carry the sperm to the urethra. The only ways a vasectomy can be a failure are:
● Having unprotected sex within 3 months after the surgery (semen will still contain sperm)
● The procedure was not done properly
● A new connection forms for the sperm to move to the urethra (very rare)
● The snipped tubes reconnect on their own (very rare).
Though vasectomy is a permanent method of birth control, many cases of pregnancies after a vasectomy are reported. While some have been voluntary, some accidents have also been reported.
A man has to use other forms of birth control for about 3 months after his vasectomy if he does not want to impregnate his partner. The reason is – the vasectomy will block the tubes but nothing can be done about the sperm that is already in his semen. It will take about 3 months or roughly 15 – 20 ejaculations, for the sperm in the semen to clear out. Until then, if he does not use any other form of birth control, it can result in pregnancy.
After these 3 months, the man will continue to ejaculate sperm, but his body will reabsorb it and prevent it from mixing in the semen. So, it will not result in pregnancy. In rare cases, pregnancy after a vasectomy is possible due to the following reasons:
Sometimes, the vasectomy procedure may not block the tubes completely. In such a case, the doctor will recommend redoing the procedure. They may choose to use the same method or a different one. A semen analysis post-surgery is a part of the protocol and can indicate if the surgery was a success or not.
Not using other forms of contraceptives for the first three months post-surgery can result in a pregnancy. It will take 3 months for the sperm to clear out of the semen.
Recanalization occurs when the cut and sealed vas deferens grow back and form a new connection, causing the vasectomy to reverse itself. In many cases, the recanalisation happens within 12 weeks post-surgery, but it can also happen many years later. One may not realise the vasectomy reversal until the partner becomes pregnant.
No one can predict a recanalisation. For some men, it can happen very soon after the surgery, and for some, it can take many years. The risk for such a reversal is higher if he chooses an open-ended vasectomy, where only one end of the vas deferens is closed. The presence of sperm tissue at the vasectomy site can also result in a recanalisation.
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A vasectomy is reversible. The 2 reversal procedures to choose from are:
● Vasovasostomy – This is the most commonly used vasectomy reversal surgery. Here the surgeon will reconnect the tube ends that were cut during the vasectomy. Technically it is less challenging and offers a higher success rate.
● Vaseopididymostomy – This is a more complicated and challenging procedure that has a lower success rate. In this procedure, the surgeon will connect one end of the vas deferens to the epididymis. The epididymis is a tube that stores and transports the sperm from the testes.
Though the vasectomy can be reversed successfully, there is no guarantee that it can result in pregnancy. A successful pregnancy depends on various other factors, in addition to the availability of sperm.
Not all vasectomies can be reversed. Some men may not want to reverse it.
If a man does not want to reverse his vasectomy but still wants to father a child, it is possible. Yes, he can opt for IVF. The fertility specialist will use the sperm aspiration method to retrieve sperm from the testicles directly while the man is under sedation. They will also retrieve the woman's egg. Next, they will inject the sperm into the egg and implant the same into the uterus after fertilisation.
This method increases the chances of pregnancy for couples suffering from fertility issues.
Vasectomy is not permanent. It can be reversed if you decide to have a child in the future. Similarly, vasectomy is not completely fail-proof either. If you are very keen on avoiding pregnancy, it is best to use other contraceptives, too.
● If you had unprotected sex within 3 months after the surgery or if the procedure has been reversed, it can lead to pregnancy. Similarly, if your husband’s vasectomy is reversed, it can lead to pregnancy.
● Yes, you can reverse the vasectomy procedure and have biological children of your own.
● Accidentally getting pregnant after a vasectomy is rare. However, many men reverse their vasectomies to conceive a child of their own.
● After reversing the vasectomy, start tracing the dates and have regular intercourse during the fertile period to increase your chances of getting pregnant. Sperm aspiration can also help improve the chances of pregnancy.
