Your Family-Building Options After a Vasectomy

Men who have had a vasectomy but are having “second thoughts,” have a new partner, or are now financially able to assume the cost have family-building options beyond adoption and donor sperm.

Advances in physician training, microsurgical instruments, assisted reproductive technologies (ART), and reversal surgery mean that a vasectomy need no longer be seen as “permanent” birth control.

Vasectomy Reversal Options
Male infertility represents about one-third of the problems associated with the inability to conceive. If your female partner is fertile, you have these options:

• Nonsurgical techniques, including medications, hormone replacement, and various sperm-retrieval procedures, followed by intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). These, however, may lower the success rate of a vasectomy reversal later on.
• Minor surgical techniques, including varicocele ligation (tying off abnormally dilated veins) and two procedures to eliminate blockages: transurethral resection of ejaculatory duct and transurethral resection of the seminal vesicles (TURSV).
• Vasectomy reversal surgery is more complex and costly but has the highest success rates.
  Men choosing reversal to restore fertility should know that high-quality aftercare is also critical.

Best Practices for Vasectomy Reversal
Vasectomy reversal, still relatively new, has undergone continuous innovation--in terms of knowledge, techniques, instruments, and laboratory best practices. If you are considering vasectomy reversal, find a urologist who:

• Has completed years of specialty residency training and has experience in male reproduction and urologic microsurgery, specializes in both nonsurgical treatments and vasectomy reversal, and can boast a high success rate (98%).
• Performs microscopic analysis of vas fluid to look for sperm and then does a vas-to-epididymal (VE) bypass if none are seen.
• Has published work in the field, presented results at conferences, and teaches other urologists.
• Has sufficient staff to schedule, guide, advise, and advocate to ease your mind; is transparent about costs; offers payment options; and does not charge for follow-up visits.

Get in Touch With MFS
Dr. Martin Bastuba, founder and medical director of Male Fertility & Sexual Medicine Specialists (MFS) in San Diego, has worked with couples and individuals dealing with infertility and sexual dysfunction worldwide for more than 25 years. Contact us today for a free consultation or with any questions or concerns you have.