WHAT TO EXPECT

 
You can expect your vasectomy to be quite effective compared with other contraceptive methods. Various studies show success rates for vasectomy at 97% to more than 99% meaning that only 0.2 to 3 men out of 100 will have persistent motile (live-moving) sperm in their semen at 6 or more weeks or fail to meet other criteria that may be established to define success.
Anywhere from a third to half of all men having a vasectomy will experience post procedural pain. For as many as 15% post-procedure pain may be bothersome and significant. 3% to 6% may seek further treatment to manage their testicular pain. Infection, hematoma and sperm granuloma may affect some men following vasectomy. The rates of these complications are between 1 and 6%
Men will need to continue using alternative forms of birth control until after their doctor gives them clearance to engage in unprotected sex. It takes approximately 20 ejaculations and 6 weeks before your first semen analysis. Success is determined differently by different physicians. Some doctors do not consider the procedure a success unless the semen analysis comes back showing no sperm present in the semen. Other doctors will accept up to 100,000 or even one-million non-motile (non-moving) sperm per milliliter of semen as still successful. Up to 20% of men may still have non-motile sperm in their semen as late as 6-months.