The likelihood of a pregnancy after a vasectomy isn’t high, but it happens in about 1% of cases. To make the surgery effective and possibly reverse its effects in the future, it is crucial to be well-informed.
Usually, infertility is permanent following vasectomy. As a result, this procedure should result in sterilization in a man, hence reducing the chance of accidentally impregnating a woman.
It is possible to become pregnant after a vasectomy under certain circumstances. Surgery usually takes place too soon after a sexual encounter due to not allowing enough time between the two events.
While the usual way of looking at this type of surgery is to think that it leads to permanent sterilization, the truth is that there are also techniques that allow this condition to be reversed. In other words, a vasectomy does not eliminate the possibility of pregnancy.
In a vasectomy, what happens?
An almost universal purpose of vasectomy is to permanently sterilize men. To prevent the passage of sperm, the vas deferens are blocked with surgery.
There are typically one or more sperm in each testicle. The epididymis is a tube connected to the gonads which store them. During ejaculation, the sperm leaves the vas deferens and reaches the uterus.
The seminal fluid mixes with them in these ducts. This is how the sperm form passes through the urethra to reach the penis and then the exterior. Sperm cannot reach the vas deferens when it is cut.
Therefore, following a vasectomy, there will be no sperm left in the sperm. Seminal fluid is released by ejaculation, but it does not contain reproductive cells. Sperm continue to be produced, but they are absorbable and not excreted outside the body.
After a vasectomy, what are the chances of getting pregnant?
Most men find that they are unable to become pregnant after vasectomy. The chances of pregnancy are small, however. The failure rate for these procedures is estimated to be one in every one hundred.
Therefore, 99% of vasectomy cases are considered successful. Following medical indications and having regular control is the best way to avoid unwanted pregnancies. What could go wrong? Let’s take a look.
Why can it happen?
Following a vasectomy, there are several reasons why pregnancy may occur. Surgical effects do not appear immediately. Hence, doctors recommend that patients use some form of contraception for three months following the surgery.
After this time, the doctor will have to perform a test that verifies that the fluid does not contain any live sperm. The man can have sexual relations without using a contraceptive method if all goes well.
Getting pregnant several years after a vasectomy is possible, however. The likelihood of this happening is very low, but it can happen. There may have been a second vas deferens or one that wasn’t completely cut.
It has also happened that the vas deferens have grown back as well as re-connected or recanalized after vasectomy. Natural phenomena like this are extremely rare.
Read Also: Why Am I Not Getting Pregnant?
Vasectomy reversal
Reversing the surgery can also result in pregnancy following a vasectomy. During a vasovasostomy procedure, the ends of the vas deferens that had been severed are reattached.
Surgery is, however, a complex procedure. It takes at least two hours, and it isn’t always successful since it is only 64% efficient. Most of the time, the quality of the semen is not acceptable for fertilization or, at the very least, not sufficient. Additionally, it is possible that the ducts won’t connect.
After several years have passed, the ineffectiveness of the vasectomy increases. A five-year time frame is considered good. In the longer run, there is a reduction in probability.
Pregnancy can be achieved in several ways after vasectomy, including:
- Vasoepididymostomy: The procedure involves joining the ends of the vas deferens and the epididymis. Despite its complexity, this procedure only works 40 percent of the time.
- Sperm aspiration: Low-complexity surgery is used to extract sperm from the epididymis. The liquid obtained from fertilizing the egg is then injected into the uterus of the woman.
- Testicular biopsy: In the “sperm aspiration” method, sperm is removed from a portion of the testicle, and fertilization and implantation are performed.
The possibility of pregnancy after vasectomy is rare, but not impossible
Despite being very rare, it is possible to become pregnant after a vasectomy under very rare circumstances. The following three-month period after surgery is the most critical for medical follow-up.
Vasectomy can be reversed, but this is not a guaranteed option. If you’re considering undergoing this procedure, you’d better be well informed before you decide to go ahead with it.