Vasectomies are a commonly misunderstood procedure. For those unfamiliar, the word itself can bring about concerns of pain, complicated feelings about masculinity, and confusion about post-procedure lifestyle. Our practice has discussed vasectomy myths many times (see here, here, and here), but we wanted to give our prospective patients or anyone interested a chance to test their vasectomy knowledge. Take our quiz, and check your answers in the key below.

1. When can you expect feelings of discomfort or soreness?

• A: During the procedure
• B: After the procedure for a couple of days
• C: After the procedure for a couple of weeks
• D: Months after the procedure

2. When are you safe to have sex without contraception?

• A: Immediately after the procedure
• B: Two weeks after the procedure
• C: Three months after the procedure
• D: Six months after the procedure

3. How much time is needed to recover?

• A: Two weeks
• B: A month
• C: 24 hours
• D: 2-3 days

4. How effective is a vasectomy?

• A: 85%
• B: 99+%
• C: 100%
• D: 95%

5. Do I need a high pain tolerance to have the procedure?

• A: No, most men recover within a few days without needing prescribed pain medication.
• B: Yes, it’s recommended that only those who have a high pain tolerance have the procedure.

6. Is a vasectomy comparable to a female tubal ligation (getting tubes tied)?

• A: Yes, they are very similar.
• B: No, they are not similar. A vasectomy is not considered to be invasive, whereas a tubal ligation is highly invasive.
• C: They are about the same in terms of recovery and invasiveness.

7. Who is a good candidate?

• A: Men who are 100% confident they have completed their family-building goals and/or do not have family-building goals.
• B: Men who might want a child in the future but aren’t totally sure.
• C: Men who have children now but could want another someday.
• D: Young men (under age 30) who do not have family-building goals currently.

Answer Key

1. Answer: B. Most men describe the feeling as mild to moderate, and are able to treat with over-the-counter pain medication and ice packs.
2. Answer: C. Three months post-procedure, your doctor will perform a semen analysis to confirm that the vasectomy was a success. Until this confirmation, you will need to continue using contraception in order to prevent a pregnancy.
3. Answer: D. Most men will recover from the procedure within 2-3 days, though those whose careers involve manual labor may need a full week to ensure there are no complications.
4. Answer: B. The No Needle No Scalpel vasectomy with Dr. Martin Bastuba at SDVC holds a success rate of over 99%.
5. Answer: A. You do not need to have a high tolerance for pain. Ice packs and at-home pain medications are sufficient, along with adequate rest.
6. Answer: B. The two procedures should not be compared with one another. They vary widely in terms of the degree of surgery required, post-procedure pain, and potential complications as well as overall cost.
7. Answer: A. You should only get a vasectomy if you are sure that you do not want children or have finished growing your family. If you are a young man, your vasectomy surgeon may wish to talk more about family planning goals before scheduling the procedure.