5 Common Vasectomy Myths
May 24, 2009 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Men's Health
There are few things that can universally make men cringe – one of them is discussing vasectomies. If truth be told, women rarely have any sympathy for that because they’re used to having their sexuality and reproduction being part of 
medical and health care. But, it is understandable why men may be reluctant to discuss vasectomies and consider having them. One reason is the lack of knowledge and the myths that circulate.
Myth 1
A vasectomy can make you impotent.
The actual surgery, the vasectomy, has nothing to do with sexual function. The surgery involves disrupting the flow of sperm into the semen. That doesn’t mean that you may not experience sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction if you have other problems – they are independent from the vasectomy itself though.
Myth 2
A vasectomy makes you less than a man.
What makes a man a man is the hormones that have developed and maintained the male characteristics. These help develop the facial hair, genital development, lower voice, and so on. Since a vasectomy has nothing to do with these things, it can’t affect a man’s “maleness.”
Myth 3
A vasectomy increases a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer.
This myth surfaced in the 1990s but has been disproven by quite large studies published in respected medical journals, such as the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Myth 4
The amount of semen ejaculated will be significantly noticeable.
A vasectomy doesn’t affect how much semen a man produces – it only prevents the sperm from entering the semen. Since sperm makes up a very small part of the ejaculate, there is a very small reduction in the fluid.
Myth 5
Vasectomies have a high failure rate in the beginning.
Vasectomies are actually a very effective method of birth control. What happens often though, is men don’t follow through and have their semen tested for sperm following their procedures. The only way you can be absolutely sure that you no longer have viable sperm in the semen is by having your semen tested.
Removing any sperm takes about 15 ejaculations or about 6 weeks, say doctors. So if you have sex early after your procedure, you should still be using alternate birth control for protection.
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Image: MorgueFile.com
