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Male sterilisation

MALE

STERILISATION

    WILL THE VASECTOMY STOP WORKING?expand_less

    Vasectomy is intended to be permanent. In rare cases, however, a vasectomy can fail.

    It is possible to reverse a vasectomy, but the reversal procedure isn't always successful. It is also not usually funded by the NHS.

    Some men worry that they may experience erectile dysfunction after a vasectomy. However, it is rare for this to be a side effect of having a vasectomy.

    Yes. Having a vasectomy stops sperm getting into the semen, the fluid that is ejaculated. Semen is still produced and ejaculated after a vasectomy but it has no sperm in it so a woman's egg can't be fertilised.

    Yes, for the first 3 months. Not using another method for the first 3 months is the main cause of pregnancies among couples relying on vasectomy.

    Sterilisation, a permanent method of contraception, is available for both women and men. To distinguish the two the male sterilisation is often called “vasectomy“.

PP-UN-WHC-GB-0307 July 2025