It's fast, largely pain-free and takes a huge contraceptive responsibility off women — it's no wonder more and more men are choosing to get the snip, and especially so during the coronavirus pandemic.
Brisbane violin teacher Paul Redfern says he and his wife Megan didn't have any doubts about him getting a vasectomy after they had their second child.
"Vasectomies equal sexy-time without a care in the world," he said, explaining his favourite perk of getting the snip.
"My wife and I had always planned to have no more than two kids. We didn't really discuss other options. A vasectomy felt easier than either of us being on birth control or my wife getting her tubes tied."
A vasectomy is an easy option for birth control. There's not a lot of fuss involved.
The procedure takes about 15-30 minutes under local anaesthetic.
In most cases patients can drive themselves to and from the appointment. A referral from a GP is not required (though it's always wise to have a chat to your doctor first to make sure it's the right option for you).
Afterwards, you're told to ice the area and stay off your feet for two days.
There can be some pain or discomfort for two-to-four weeks afterwards.
Cleanly shaving the area yourself beforehand might be the most harrowing part.
Paul says he was only mildly worried beforehand — and the procedure itself was uneventful.
"I was a bit scared but only on the day. The doctor's surgery had a testimonial book from other blokes who had had a vasectomy, which really helped," he says.
"It was mostly good. I actually felt a twinge of pain at the start, and then the doctor gave me more anaesthetic. Having said that, I was on edge for the rest of the procedure. But it didn't hurt after the initial twinge."
Nathanael Sheehan from the Queensland Vasectomy clinic says the most common misconception men have is that the vasectomy is going to be really painful, or there's a small chance they could become impotent.
"It's a physical impossibility for vasectomy to affect libido or performance but I guess it can have a psychological impact," he says.
"Most men take some ibuprofen and paracetamol for a few days. About 25 per cent of men take no pain relief at all.
"About 5 per cent of men have a delayed inflammatory response and take anti-inflammatories for a week or two.
"When my wife heard this she said it sounds like a bad period. It's an interesting analogy."
Surge in procedures during COVID-19
Dr Sheehan says the period since March in which Australia has been struggling to get on top of the coronavirus pandemic has been the busiest of his career.
He's performing 14 procedures a day and has been booked out for months.
"I've noticed a 50 per cent increase in vasectomies over the past six months. We've been flat out with extra sessions trying to get everyone seen," he says.
Paul Redfern says a vasectomy just felt like the easiest option.(Supplied: Paul Redfern)
He theorises that lockdowns have made a lot of couple realise they are "at their limit" with the children they have.
"I also think some men had wanted to get a vasectomy for a while but found it hard to plan a time with work and other commitments."
Deborah Bateson, the medical director of Family Planning NSW, has also seen a surge in men getting vasectomies.
"It might be because couples have been at home more and have had more time to talk about it — to talk through the options available and maybe look into vasectomies a bit," she says.
"Families have been in isolation and have been maybe stuck with their kids and have had a chance to talk to their partners and seek out information.
"And they realise it’s a very good option for many men.
"A lot of people are under economic stress as well, and it's a very cost-effective form of contraception, when you compare it to always spending money on the pill, or buying condoms, for example.
"There's even an environmental aspect to it, because it's a long-term method, you're not creating all this wastage through pill or condom packaging."
Paul reckons he can explain the uptick.
"Have you ever spent six weeks with toddlers? It's enough to scare you off kids forever."
How do vasectomies work?
A vasectomy blocks the vas deferens tubes, which carry sperm from the testes — preventing that sperm from entering semen during ejaculation.
The sperm and testosterone continue to be produced in the testes, but the sperm can't get out.
When they die, they're reabsorbed into the body (a process that occurs with unused sperm even before a vasectomy).
A vasectomy doesn't affect sex drive, sexual function or performance — and since sperm is only a tiny percentage of ejaculate, there's no notable difference in volume.
Essentially the only thing it stops is the getting pregnant part. It's the most effective form of permanent contraception.
Dr Bateson says it should be on the table for all men.
"I would recommend it to potentially all men, as long as they understand it's probably a permanent form of contraception," she says.
"It's something men should discuss with their partners, and to decide whether it’s their time to take that responsibility.
"There are pros and cons to it, like every other form of contraception — it's important to note that a reversal isn't guaranteed to work — but it's definitely a discussion that should be had."
We need to talk about it more
Australia has the second-highest rate of vasectomies in the world, after New Zealand, with one in four men over 40 having it done.
But Dr Bateson says it's still not as widely talked about as it should be.
"The idea should be raised once a couple, or a man, has decided they don't want any more kids," she says.
For some men there's still a stigma around discussing their bits, or sex life — and a lack of knowledge can make vasectomies seem more daunting than they really are.
"Men can feel anxious about the procedure. Often it's stuff men don't talk about," she says.
"There can be hidden worries, like thinking it will affect their sex life, or somehow mean their libido drops. It can just be embarrassing for some people because it's involving their genitals."
Dr Bateson says particularly in regional areas, many men don't consider vasectomies as an option because they don't realise how easy it is.
"Raising awareness of vasectomies as a contraceptive option would go a long way to allaying many of the fears and misconceptions people have," she says.
"Especially when you realise what a fast and simple procedure it is. And it has no impact on libido, sexuality or ejaculation."
She says vasectomies need to be something raised in the public consciousness so everyone is aware that it's part of that suite of options when it comes to contraception.
"The big thing men and women need to understand is that contraception should be a shared responsibility. It's not just up to women to think about," she says.
"Australia has very high rates. And it’s going up. So hopefully those discussions are becoming more frequent, and it’s becoming more normalised."
'We men get the better part of the deal'
Dr Nathanael Sheehan says getting a vasectomy is the least men can do.
Dr Sheehan agrees that men need to step up to take the burden of contraception off women.
"I love doing vasectomies. In the space of 20 minutes I can make a huge difference in that guy's life, plus the life of his partner and the children he already has," he says.
"I think we really do a disservice to ourselves by not talking about vasectomies.
"For almost everyone, it's a bit of a non-event. But that doesn't make an entertaining story.
"As a result, people only hear horror stories about someone's cousin's uncle from the 1970s who couldn't walk.
"Every day I'll see someone who has been putting off a vasectomy for 10 years. They end up building it up in the heads and freaking themselves out.
"We'd be better off considering the numerous unplanned pregnancies that women have to carry or the extra burden women have taking hormones or injections for longer than they should.
"I think we men get the better part of the deal. A vasectomy is the least we can do."
Paul says he has become a vasectomy evangelist since getting it done.
"I have made it my mission to talk about it publicly with anyone who will listen. It always gets a laugh if nothing else."
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