Vasectomy - advice needed please!

[WhoAreYah]

Hi,

I had no idea where to post this, I’m sorry.

My DH is booked in for a vasectomy.

We have two school aged children and are very happy.

Every month I am worried about being pregnant, I do not want another child and could never go through a termination, it would break me. I cannot use hormone contraception so it has been condoms for many years. I have anxiety about an unplanned pregnancy.

My question is - how do you actually trust the vasectomy has been successful? The doctor told him there is a 1 in 2000 chance of the tubes fusing and a subsequent pregnancy. We were very blessed to conceive our first in the first month of trying. The second is as a result of a split condom and Morning After Pill failure. My husband is understandably concerned that he’s going to have this done and then I will still insist on using condoms ‘just in case’. I do understand his concern. I have control issues and as I say, a fear of getting pregnant.

I do also worry that potentially in a few years time we could change our minds. I don’t expect this to happen but we are both early 30’s so you never know.

So, how did you all trust in the sperm analysis and actually allow yourself to relax?! Or am I just weird?

After the vasectomy (I think about 6 weeks after?) your husband will be required to give a sample for testing - and this will show if the operation was a success.

My husband had a vasectomy 17 years ago, and I've never once worried I that I might be pregnant since then. You can honestly relax.

I think I am worried that the test is wrong. That they miss one or his results get mixed up with someone else’s. I think I’d feel more comfortable if they did it twice 🙈

If you are that worried, why not be sterilised? It can be done through the vagina, no external cutting and quick recovery.

I had a friend whose husband had a vasectomy and she was sterilised. Like wearing a belt and braces.

However, seriously, how often have you heard of a vasectomy failure?

Because getting sterilisation on the NHS as a female in your early 30’s is basically impossible, I’ve had enough surgeries and don’t want any more. Not sure i’d trust that any more to be fair, lol

I know I sound ridiculous don’t i 🙈

Most of the headline rate of vasectomy failure is attributed to abandoning other contraception before a proper all clear.

You should ensure he has 2 tests a couple of weeks at 8 weeks + after the procedure (time to be clear depends on both number of ejaculations and passage of time)

You can get additional tests (eg from Marie Stopes) if you want further reassurance.

But the bottom line is that although very rare, spontaneous recanalisation can occur and it's usually found by unexpected pregnancy. Only you can decide your attitude to risk.

Vasectomy has a lower failure rate than female sterilisation, and the headline rate is similar to mirena

Thank you @scaevola I really appreciate that. I think maybe an additional sperm analysis done will be reassuring and help! x

If you do all the follow up testing, that tends to catch the problems.

My DH had his vasectomy 11 years ago now. I’ve had a few late periods so I have worried ever so slightly from time to time, but i take comfort knowing I do have options in the extremely unlikely event of a vasectomy failure after clean post vasectomy tests.

You really can relax and enjoy the pregnancy free wax life ahead of you.

@WhoAreYah

Because getting sterilisation on the NHS as a female in your early 30’s is basically impossible, I’ve had enough surgeries and don’t want any more. Not sure i’d trust that any more to be fair, lol

I know I sound ridiculous don’t i 🙈

No, not ridiculous, just concerned.