For many couples who have completed family building, there is a choice between the male partner having a vasectomy and the female partner having a tubal ligation, often referred to as “getting her tubes tied.” The decision is a personal one, as it will involve a procedure that will end one partner’s ability to reproduce.

Both a tubal ligation and a vasectomy can be reversed, but reversal procedures are often complex. Most doctors will only recommend the tubal ligation or vasectomy when the patient is absolutely sure there is no wish to have a baby in the future. If you and your partner are deciding between having a tubal ligation or a vasectomy, we’ve prepared three key reasons why the No Needle No Scalpel vasectomy is the better option for both partners.

Reasons why a vasectomy beats tubal ligation:

1. Cost

The tubal ligation procedure is often more expensive than a vasectomy, sometimes costing as much as $6,000. Vasectomies are covered by most insurance carriers, with patients only responsible for a small co-pay or a deductible. For those patients without insurance, the average cost of a vasectomy at San Diego Vasectomy Center is $1,395, including the consultation fee.

2. Recovery period

The vasectomy procedure usually lasts no more than 30 minutes and can take as little as ten minutes to complete. When a vasectomy patient awakes from anesthesia post-procedure, he may feel a bit sleepy and perhaps sore. Vasectomy patients are advised to abstain from sex for only 3-4 weeks depending on your comfort level, and can return to their normal work schedule in two to three days – only needing to avoid heavy lifting for several days.

Recovery from tubal ligation is rarely as straightforward. Women who have had tubal ligation may experience abdominal pain/cramping, dizziness, fatigue, gas, bleeding from the incision, shoulder pain and discharge. Of course, not every woman will experience these symptoms, and severity of symptoms can vary from woman to woman.

3. Invasiveness

Modern medicine has significantly decreased the invasiveness in both the tubal ligation and vasectomy procedures. Tubal ligations may be performed laparoscopically, and the vasectomy procedure does not need to involve needles or scalpels any more. However, due to the significantly short period of time required to complete a vasectomy and the use of advanced anesthetics such as Exparel, the modern vasectomy offers one of the most efficient, pain-free options for permanent contraception.