When it comes to birth control for men, there aren’t many options, especially when you’re sure you don’t want children. In fact, the only option more effective than a vasectomy is abstinence. But how do you know when it’s time to consider this permanent birth control method?

Our skilled team at Urology Associates of Southeastern North Carolina in Wilmington, North Carolina, recommends that men ask themselves these five questions when considering their birth control options.

1. Would you like a foolproof birth control solution?

For men, birth control options include abstinence, condoms, and vasectomy. When you have a vasectomy, your provider cuts or blocks the vas deferens inside your scrotum during a simple office visit. This minor procedure prevents sperm from entering your ejaculate, so you can no longer fertilize an egg.

By taking this simple approach, you no longer have to worry about birth control or pregnancy scares once you get the all-clear from your doctor.

2. Do you want to have kids at some point?

The most obvious question to ask yourself involves pregnancy prevention. While you can sometimes successfully reverse a vasectomy, you should consider it a permanent solution.

After having a vasectomy, it typically takes about three months or 20 ejaculations for sperm to leave your system completely. But, once your semen gets cleared during an assessment with your provider, you can expect birth control that’s more than 99% effective.

3. Are you in a committed relationship?

Approximately 1 in 4 American couples use permanent forms of contraception, including both tubal ligation and vasectomy. 

Whether you and your partner have had all of the kids you were intending, or you’d rather avoid any at all, the convenience that comes with a vasectomy can offer reliable results that can even increase your sex life. A 2015 Stanford study even shows that women with partners who have a vasectomy are at least 46% more likely to have sex at least once a week.

4. Are you looking for a safer birth control option?

It’s no secret that women usually bear most of the responsibility when it comes to reliable forms of birth control. Unfortunately, many of these options involve hormones or surgical tubal ligation, which is far more invasive than a vasectomy.

Having a vasectomy typically takes less than 30 minutes, doesn’t alter your testosterone levels or libido, and comes with few side effects or risks. While you should avoid anything strenuous for approximately a week, most men return to light activity within a day or two.

5. Do you want to save money?

Yes, you can expect to pay a one-time bill somewhere between $1,000-$2,000 when you have a vasectomy. But many insurance providers cover at least a portion of this fee, and a vasectomy is far less expensive than tubal ligation for women. Beyond that, it’s even cheaper than having a child, which can cost approximately $16,000 a year.

To learn more about having a vasectomy and whether it’s right for you, call our office in Wilmington, North Carolina, at (910) 763-6251. You can also send a message to the team here on our website.