Sterilization, His or Hers?
Josie
written:February 22, 2007
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Being one half of a young childfree couple the topic often comes up: We know one of us will eventually wind up going under the knife, but who? Due to the debate in our house I was inspired to do some research and look at the facts. Many of you I know have already done this but for those of you who haven’t or want to get it all in one place here we go.
What kinds of female sterilization are there?
Tubal ligations and tubal implants are the two most popular forms of female sterilization. During tubal ligation the fallopian tubes are cut, blocked, or tied either with sutures to sew the tubes shut after being cut, with electrical current to cauterize the fallopian tubes after they are cut, or by using a tubal ring which works like an elastic band to clamp a loop of the tubes shut. In a tubal implant procedure small metal springs are placed in each fallopian tube which will grow scar tissue around them which permanently block the tubes. The springs are inserted through a catheter by way of the cervix. It’s interesting to note that 15% of women may require more than one procedure to completely block the tubes.
Vasectomy
As for the boys they have the choice of a traditional vasectomy, a no-scalpel vasectomy, or a Vasclip implant. In all options the vas deferens from each testicle are clamped, cut, or otherwise sealed in order to prevent sperm mixing with semen during ejaculation. The body still produces sperm but it is no longer released and is reabsorbed back into the body. With the traditional vasectomy the scrotum is cut with a scalpel and the vas deferens tubes are cut then tied, stitched, or sealed. The no-scalpel vasectomy is basically the same with the exception of, yep you guessed it, the scalpel. Instead of a scalpel there is a small clamp with pointed ends, and instead of cutting the skin it pierces the skin and opens within the scrotum. If you choose the Vasclip implant the implant simply closes off the vas deferens in leu of cutting, suturing, or cauterizing them.
Cost
One of the biggest deciding factors for us (as I am sure it is for others) is the cost. Keep in mind that some insurance companies will not cover the cost of these types of procedures. For female sterilization procedures the cost can run anywhere from $1000 all the way up to around $2500. For the men, a vasectomy will usually run up to four times less than it’s female counterpart coming in at anywhere for $250 up to $1000.
Effectiveness
What about effectiveness? I’m sure none of us want to spend all that money just to have it fail. The vasectomy is around 99.85% effective; 1-2 out of every 1000 women will get pregnant from her mate in their first year after the procedure. With tubal ligation the risk is 5 out of every 1000 women after one year and 18 per 1000 women in ten years. For tubal implants the technology is so new there are no long-term statistics.
The Procedure
The complexity of the procedure should be considered as well. With both male and female sterilization procedures the patient will either be put under or will be given a local anesthetic but the complexity varies greatly.
For a vasectomy the patient is mostly likely given an oral medication to ease anxiety and make you drowsy. A local anesthetic is injected into the area and two small openings are cut into the scrotum. After the vas deferens are found, cut, and sealed the scrotum is stitched closed and the whole thing is done. With this traditional vasectomy the entire procedure take only about 20 to 30 minutes.
If the vasectomy is no-scalpel or a Vasclip implant the procedure is basically the same with exception of the obvious.
As for female sterilization you will most likely have either a laparoscopy, a mini-laparotomy, or an open tubal ligation (laparotomy) unless you are having an implantation. A laparoscopy involves inserting a viewing instrument and surgical tool through small incisions made in the abdomen. The mini-laparotomy is done through a small incision less than two inches in length, whereas a laparotomy is done through a larger incision. All of these procedures are usually done under general anesthetic though laparoscopy and mini-laparotomies can be done under local anesthetic they are usually not. Though the female procedures are much more involved than the male counterparts they also take around 30 minutes to complete.
Recovery Time, Possible Risks
Recovery time and possible risks are also important factors. Women who have had a tubal ligation can expect to go home the same day in most cases and to be sore for around a week. Men can expect the same. As for risks, no death has ever been attributed to vasectomies but tubal ligation causes at least 20 deaths per year. Males may get infected at the incision site but this is easily treated. The risks associated with tubal ligation are infection, wound separation, heavy blood loss, anesthesia problems, or organ injury during surgery. Another big risk of tubal ligation is ectopic pregnancy which can be dangerous of not treated. Overall the safest bet is the vasectomy.
Conclusion
There had been concerns about vasectomies increasing the risk of prostate cancer in men but this has since been disproven. After viewing all the information and comparing the two, it is clear to me that if you can convince your man to do it, the vasectomy is the way to go. It’s safer, cheaper, easier, and more effective.
