You may wonder, “Is now the right time to have a vasectomy? Or, should I hold off, maybe revisit the decision in another year or two?” The decision to have a vasectomy is not one that men tend to take lightly, and we at SDVC 100% understand the desire to take your time. We know how important it is for you and your partner, if applicable, to consider every detail. In this post, we will share some of our thoughts for you to consider while you think about whether or not a vasectomy is right for you. 

Vasectomy timing

When considering whether to have a vasectomy, we normally ask patients to consider the following:

• Are you confident that you have completed your family planning goals and will not want to revisit family-building in the future?
• Do you understand that, while a vasectomy can be reversed, your surgeon will advise you to consider the procedure to be a permanent form of contraception? 
• In the event you are open to trying for a pregnancy in the future, have you considered freezing your sperm as an alternative to a vasectomy reversal?
• Or, have you considered sperm freezing generally as a possible “back up” plan should there be a change of heart down the road?

These are key questions that any vasectomy surgeon will ask during a consultation. If you find yourself wavering, or unsure if you have completed your family, then it may be best to put the vasectomy on hold for the time being. This way, when you are ready to move forward, you can do so with confidence. 

Vasectomy and age

There are patients who will seek a vasectomy as a young person, someone in their late teens or 20’s. The reasons for seeking the procedure at any age are personal, and this includes members of the younger generations. Your surgeon may or may not agree to the procedure based on your age due to basic concerns about life situations changing over the next decade or two. Patients seeking a vasectomy consultation at a younger age should anticipate having direct conversations with their surgeon about the realities of the procedure.

The decision

If you find that you are ultimately unsure of whether the vasectomy procedure is the right call, we do want to encourage seeking additional authoritative information. Our website’s blog has many posts dedicated to the topic, including covering areas such as having a vasectomy vs. tubal ligation (the female partner getting her tubes tied), vasectomy prep and recovery, partner support, vasectomy alternatives, vasectomy reversal, sperm freezing, the surgery in detail, vasectomy myths, family planning, and more. Of course, if you choose to move forward with the procedure, we’ll be happy to help you get things underway.