Vasectomies are common surgical procedures performed for male sterilization. This is a good option for men looking for a permanent contraception method.
While the procedure may look complicated, it’s actually pretty straightforward. It involves cutting and sealing the tubes that carry male sperm. This would prevent sperm from entering the urethra, which then prevents fertilizing female eggs during sexual intercourse.
Besides this, vasectomies are one of the safest and surest options to prevent pregnancy, which is why it’s a more popular choice for men and their partners, especially when searching for permanent solutions.
With that said, you may have wondered, “can a vasectomy fail?” Like all surgical procedures, there are small risks that it may not work. But let’s take a look at this extremely rare occurrence to address any of your doubts on the procedure’s success rate.
Can a Vasectomy Fail?
An advantage of undergoing vasectomy is that it is very effective and permanent birth control. As for its failure rate, up to 1% of men undergo a vasectomy that fails. Usually, this happens during the first year after the procedure but it can happen later.
As you can see, the failures are rare, but it happens. There are several reasons that may contribute to a failed vasectomy, such as:
- Couples have sex too soon after the vasectomy. This is because it could take a few months for semen to be completely sperm-free after the procedure, with the only way to know is through a semen test. Until you see the desired results, there is still a possibility that you can impregnate your partner.
- Rarely, one or both of the vas deferens, two small tubes transporting sperm from testicles and out to the penis, may reconnect, reattaching by itself. This is because the small channels may form in scar tissue, allowing sperm to wiggle through. It may happen at any point after the procedure, though it's more likely to occur sooner than later.
- Even rarer than the reattachment is due to surgical errors. Sure, procedures are very simple and performed in a safe area, but errors MAY occur. If ever the tube was missed upon removing the small segment in the vas deferens, most doctors will know if this happened and can fix it. But the risk of errors increases if you have had previous surgery or anatomical variations.
What you can do is to make sure that you first use other birth control methods even a few weeks after the procedure, until such time that you’re sure that there are no traces of sperm in your semen. You should also re-check once within a few weeks and again each year.
And of course, it’s best that you go to a medical professional and clinic you trust for your vasectomy procedure. Have your vasectomy in top-rated clinics or hospitals, asking for referrals or doing your research to see who is best based on genuine reviews, the doctor’s experience, and overall reputation. Make sure that he is licensed and is able to do the procedure, communicating with you well if you have any questions.
Wrapping It Up
Hopefully, this article answered your question, “can a vasectomy fail?” While rare, there are a couple of reasons why it happens, and with proper knowledge and action, you can prevent it from happening after the procedure.
Make sure to keep these points in mind and Good luck!