Even with a successful surgery and you following the proper post-vasectomy plan, your
However, in some cases, the vas deferens grow back several years after the procedure. The growth may continue until a connection is recreated, allowing the free flow of sperm to the urethra. An extremely rare and successful reconnection can occur after 10 to 14 years or more and is usually almost impossible to notice.
Masson warned. Your sperm count will decrease gradually after a vasectomy. “You should have your urologist test a sample of your semen after approximately 8 weeks or 20 ejaculations following the vasectomy to make sure it's free of sperm,” recommended Dr. Masson.
Conclusion: This case shows that late recanalization can occur up to seven years after a vasectomy. Patients should be informed prior to the procedure that late recanalization, although rare, may still occur.
Vasectomies can be reversed even after very long periods of time, sometimes after more than 25 years. Sperm are constantly being produced in men, even after a long time from a vasectomy, there should be viable sperm.
Testing is the Key to Preventing Pregnancy after Vasectomy
The usual recommendation is to perform two (2) tests within 2-4 months following the procedure, and then once a year thereafter. The results of both tests should be negative.
But relax, vasectomy failures are rare… very rare. Less than 1% of vasectomies fail, which compares favorably to tubal ligation which has a 1.85% failure rate. But the risk is still there.
A vasectomy is considered a permanent form of birth control to make a man unable to father a child. It is a surgical procedure in which the tube that carries the sperm from the testes to the urethra is cut or sealed off to prevent sperm from being released during ejaculation.
Can a vasectomy reverse itself? No. Once a man has a proven negative semen analysis, the vasectomy is permanent unless surgically reversed. It is not possible for the vas deferens to re-align or reverse itself.
Vasectomy is very effective at preventing pregnancy, but it's also permanent. While pregnancy after vasectomy is possible, it's pretty rare. When it does happen, it's usually the result of not following postsurgery guidelines or a surgical mistake.
I counsel all men and their wives that the vas deferens can grow back together (recanalization) after a vasectomy. This usually occurs in the first six to eight weeks after the procedure, before the sperm count goes to zero.
Vasectomy failure can be due to technical error during the procedure, early recanalization, late recanalization, or patients' failing to use alternative contraceptive methods immediately after the procedure when sperm could still be present in the ejaculate [4].
Early failure or recanalization of the vas deferens after vasectomy occurs in approximately 0.3% to 0.6% of cases. 5 This failure occurs when a substantial number of spermatozoa or any motile spermatozoa are identified at least 4 months after vasectomy.
It is also possible for a vasectomy to fail weeks, months, or even years after the procedure through a process called recanalization. Recanalization happens when the vas deferens grow back to create a new connection, causing the vasectomy to reverse itself.
Side effects of fallopian tube recanalization
Most women will have a little spotting for a day or two afterward. We will give you a pad in recovery and you may wish to have some pads at home in case of spotting. There should be no lingering pain or other unpleasant sensation.
6-8 days following vasectomy several of 23 ejaculates still contained spermatozoa of the quality and number likely to produce pregnancy. 13-15 days after vasectomy all or the great majority of residual spermatozoa were dead.
The two options are: a vasectomy reversal or sperm aspiration prior to in vitro fertilization (IVF). Your doctor can help you choose which procedure is better for you and your partner based on: How long it has been since your vasectomy. Your age.
Is Getting Pregnant After a Vasectomy Possible? A vasectomy is one of the best ways to prevent pregnancy, with rates of pregnancy around 1/1,000 after the first year, and between 2-10/1,000 after five years. Most reports indicate that following a vasectomy a couple has a less than 1% chance of getting pregnant.
Once they are cut, sperm can't get into the semen or out of the body. The testes still make sperm, but the sperm die and are absorbed by the body. A man who has had a vasectomy still makes semen and is able to ejaculate. But the semen doesn't contain sperm.
Late recanalization is defined as the reappearance of motile sperm after the vasectomy was declared a success, often only discovered by an unexpected pregnancy.
Several weeks after the vasectomy procedure, your doctor will ask you for a semen sample that can be tested to see if there is any sperm in it. Depending on the results, you may be asked to repeat the test. When healthy sperm are no longer found in the semen, the vasectomy is considered successful.
Sterilization does not happen right away after a vasectomy
You will need to continue to use other birth control methods until your semen sample comes back completely sperm-free and you get the okay from your physician. This usually takes about two months or 20 ejaculations.
The average person getting a vasectomy was also found to have one to three children. Research in the American Journal of Men's Health found that the average age for a vasectomy was about 35, with the typical age range for the procedure between the ages of 30 and 56.
Once you have been cleared, it's extremely rare for the procedure to fail or reverse naturally. In fact, the risk of failure is less than 1 in 2,000 (less than . 05%) while other contraceptives like the pill and patch have a 0.2% failure rate. Surgery is typically the only way to undo a vasectomy.
Yes, the vasectomy can be redone, and it's very similar to the original vasectomy. A no-needle, no-scalpel vasectomy is often still possible. Redoing vasectomies after reversals is actually quite common, and something I have done for a number of my patients who have had successful reversals.