j_o_brown

"Vasectomy: Permanent sterilization for men. It is done by cutting the vas deferens tubes between your testicles and your groin, and sealing them either with stitches or heat sealing (cauterization). The procedure is usually done under local anesthesia."

http://www.vasectomy-information.com/faq/faq.htm

Young black male, age 25, with 3 kids:

Word. I'm new to posting threads, so here it goes.

My wife and I both agree that we are finished having kids. We are both under 30 years-old and recognize the fact that this may change in time. However, all other forms of birth control aren't for us (i.e. condoms, oral contraceptives, shots, patches... etc). We both agree these methods (except condoms) are completely unnatural and many health risks may arise with the use of these birth control methods. In researching information about vasectomies, I'm not sure I'm down with this procedure either. After a vasectomy (cutting of the vas deferens), the sperm stay within your body and are left to die without an outlet. This has the potential for changing the male hormonal levels dramatically and causing various health problems.

Any ideas or thoughts on this subject?

__________________
JB

May the Force be with you...

taliendo

read this. . .

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthr...ight=vasectomy

__________________
-LIFE IS ABSURD-

ratbastid

You got me curious, so I googled about this.

HERE is one article I found detailing a few studies that looked into side effects of vasectomy. Dates from 1995, and seems to be aimed mostly at athletes, having been published in Muscle and Fitness magazine.

I found a page HERE that lays out some other facts, including increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Though it goes into greater detail about the ramifications of sperm re-absorbtion, it specifically denies a link to hormonal changes or problems that might cause.

Finally I found THIS ARTICLE which says, in short, not to worry about it: "Two common worries about vasectomy are that it will reduce a man's sex hormone levels or take away his ability to have sex. These myths have no biological basis, however, because vasectomy only prevents the escape of sperm from the reproductive system, not the release of testosterone, the male sex hormone, into the bloodstream. Both sperm and testosterone are produced in the testicles, but they leave by different routes. Sperm move through a series of ducts that channel through the reproductive organs to the outside of the body, while tiny veins in the testicles transport testosterone into the bloodstream."

You should probably be having this conversation with a doctor. They can assess your current health and give you a realistic prognosis and likelihood of side-effects.

Rubyee

No offense against you or anything, and I do commend you for thinking about it to begin with, but it really pisses me off when guys whine about even having to discuss it with their wives. I know that I have always been the one to have to take care of the birth control, and it has caused me a lot of problems. Allergic to latex, weight gain from the shot, and a list of others. Plus, it is the women who get pregnant, the women who have to go through labor, and the women that go through all the post-labor crap like the post-partem depression, screwed up cycles, and breastfeeding, which I hear is not that fun.

Don't get me wrong here, I am not a person who gets all worked up over things like women's lib and not wearing a bra. It just makes me mad that society puts almost all of the responsibility on the women when it comes to having sex, which leaves the men to have the fun and not worry.

Once again, I commend you for even looking into getting a vascetomy. Don't look at this as me bashing you, but as me ranting about the shortcomings of modern society.

Where your question fits into this- either way you look at it, one of you, you or your wife, are going to have some hormonal changes. I think that the best way to look at it is to ask which method is the more effective, which method is more reversible, just incase, and which method fits into both of your life plans. And of course, ask a doctor.

Also, since you are both under 30, there are some long term non-hormonal forms of contraceptive that are not permanant. These include implants and UTI's. Just make sure you go over all the options.

__________________
You don't know from fun.

splck

Been there, done it. It's a peice of cake. The way I see it, if a woman can go through child birth, it's the least I can do.

__________________
nice line eh?