Home improvement vasectomy is a simple, cost-effective way for men to prevent pregnancy. It is nearly 100 percent effective and can reduce the need for birth control pills, which are often not reliably reversible. It also can save couples money on the long-term cost of female sterilization (tubal ligation) and birth control medications for women.
Despite its many benefits, a vasectomy is not universally accepted as an ideal method of birth control. In qualitative studies, men who do not want more children have reported that they would like to take greater responsibility for contraception but lack accurate information about vasectomy and concerns about the procedure’s effects on sexual functioning (Campbell et al., 2019; Shih et al., 2012).
The main reason men report not wanting to get a vasectomy is fear of pain from the procedure (n = 375). Other reasons include: concern about how it could affect sex life or make them feel less of a man; satisfaction with current birth control methods; and a belief that it would be difficult to reverse.
Although the procedure is relatively safe, it can cause some discomfort after surgery, and it can lead to scrotal pain for several days or weeks. It can also increase blood pressure and may increase the risk of infection. In addition, a vasectomy doesn’t protect against sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and HIV/AIDS. To ensure you have all of the information you need before deciding whether or not to have a vasectomy, check with your health insurance provider. You might be able to use funds from your flexible spending account or health savings account to cover the cost of the procedure.