How Is My Sperm Affected After a Vasectomy?
Key takeaways:
A vasectomy is a permanent form of male birth control. It blocks sperm from getting into the fluid that leaves the penis during ejaculation. It is the most effective form of male birth control.
The ejaculate after a vasectomy looks identical to the ejaculate before a vasectomy. It has about the same color, volume, and thickness, and most people do not notice any changes.
After a vasectomy, the body reabsorbs the sperm. Reabsorption of the sperm is normal and has no side effects.
Vasectomy is the most reliable form of male birth control available. Over half a million men decide to have a vasectomy each year in the U.S. While it is a common surgery, many people have questions about what to expect after a vasectomy.
Here, you’ll learn why it works, what changes to expect, and what happens to your sperm after a vasectomy.
What is a vasectomy?
A vasectomy is a highly effective, safe, and affordable form of male birth control. In this procedure, the vas deferens tube that carries sperm from the testes gets cut and tied off. This keeps the sperm from mixing with semen during ejaculation. When there is no sperm in the semen after a vasectomy, a pregnancy can’t occur.
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A vasectomy is so effective that only about 15 out of every 10,000 couples get pregnant after the procedure.
Where does sperm go after a vasectomy?
The testes are making new sperm cells all the time. When you are sexually active, sperm get ejaculated regularly. But if you do not ejaculate for an extended period of time, your body begins to make fewer sperm. Those sperm will get reabsorbed by the body.
The same process happens after a vasectomy. Any sperm made will also get reabsorbed by the body. This is a normal process and there are no negative side effects. In fact, this is a natural process to prevent a buildup of sperm if there are long periods without ejaculation.
Your body naturally breaks down old or unused sperm by dissolving them. Special clean-up cells called macrophages are thought to help in this process. What's left over gets absorbed within the testes.
After a vasectomy, there is a greater amount of unused sperm, but the process is similar. There are just more macrophages used to break down the sperm. This cycle is normal, and the unused sperm is easily reabsorbed.
What does ejaculate consist of after a vasectomy?
Ejaculate is made up mostly of fluid from glands like the prostate and the seminal vesicles. There is also mucus from the bulbourethral glands. Only a small part of the ejaculate comes from the sperm and its fluid.
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The ejaculate after a vasectomy consists of the same seminal fluid and mucus as before. The only difference is that the ejaculate doesn’t have any sperm a few months after the vasectomy.
What color is semen after a vasectomy?
Your semen will look just like it did before your vasectomy. Usually, semen has the consistency of thin mucus and a clear, gray, or white, opalescent color. Since the sperm makes up a very small volume of the semen, you won’t notice a change in the amount you ejaculate. But if your semen is ever red, brown, or yellow, talk to your healthcare provider right away.
Is it possible for sperm to come through after a vasectomy?
It is normal for sperm to be present in your semen for the first few months after a vasectomy. So you'll need to use another form of birth control for at least 3 months following your procedure. After 20 to 25 ejaculations, your semen should be free of sperm. Your healthcare provider will do a semen analysis 2 to 3 months after the vasectomy to be sure.
Is it possible to reverse a vasectomy?
A vasectomy is a form of permanent birth control. But in some cases, it is possible to reverse a vasectomy. It's one of the most difficult surgeries to perform because the vas deferens are so small. And it's also a very expensive surgery that can cost more than $15,000. Most insurance does not cover a vasectomy reversal, so you might have to pay for it out of pocket.
Also, vasectomy reversal does not guarantee a successful pregnancy. Only about half of couples who have sex after a vasectomy reversal are able to get pregnant.
Can you have a baby after a vasectomy?
Yes, it is possible to have a baby after a vasectomy. It can take up to 25 ejaculations to clear all the sperm from the semen after a vasectomy. So you can get your partner pregnant during that time if you don't use another form of birth control.
Once sperm is no longer in your ejaculate, you have a few options for conceiving. Vasectomy reversal and in vitro fertilization (IVF) may be alternatives. But they aren't always successful.
Can you surgically extract sperm after a vasectomy?
Even after a vasectomy, the testes continue to produce new sperm cells. The only difference is that the sperm doesn't make it outside the body. Because the sperm are still present, a skilled urologist can remove them from the testes. This is usually done surgically or with a needle.
This is sometimes done to improve the chances of pregnancy through IVF. If vasectomy reversal isn't successful, sperm retrieval and intracytoplasmic sperm injection may be an option. In this procedure, sperm is removed and injected into a single egg to achieve pregnancy.
The bottom line
A vasectomy is an affordable, safe, and permanent form of birth control. It is also one of the most effective ways of preventing pregnancy. After the surgery, you probably won’t notice any difference in the color or amount of semen you ejaculate. If you think a vasectomy may be a good birth control option for you, scheduling a consultation with your provider may be the next step for you to take.
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References
Bernie, A. M., et al. (2012). Vasectomy reversal in humans. Spermatogenesis.
FamilyDoctor. (2020). Vasectomy: What to expect. American Academy of Family Physicians.
International Society for Sexual Medicine. (n.d.). What might it mean if a man’s semen color changes?
MedlinePlus. (2021). Semen analysis.
National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Accessory glands.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (n.d.). Vasectomy.
Patel, A. P., et al., (2016). Vasectomy reversal: A clinical update. Asian Journal of Andrology.
Rayala, B. Z., et al. (2013). Common questions about vasectomy. American Family Physician.
Urology Care Foundation. (n.d.). What is vasectomy reversal?
Wu, E. H., et al. (2021). Anatomy, abdomen and pelvis, male genitourinary tract. StatPearls.
