Vasectomy is the method of permanent male contraception. It consists of a surgical intervention in which the ducts that carry the sperm are cut, so that they are not present in the ejaculate and there is no possibility of fertilizing the egg. Despite the a priori irreversible nature of this process, it is common for the decision to change over time and to want to start a family. For this reason, in this article Dr. Rafaela González, director of IVI Almería, talks to us about the possibilities of being a father after a vasectomy.
Is a vasectomy irreversible?
If a man who has had a vasectomy wants to be a father, there are options to achieve it. One of them is the vasovasostomy. This small surgery aims to reverse the vasectomy. It consists of rejoining the previously cut vas deferens. However, this technique is not the most effective for reversing a vasectomy with the aim of becoming a father, since sperm production is not always recovered, in terms of the necessary quantity and quality. The patients with the best reproductive prognosis thanks to vasovasostomy are those who undergo it within three years after the vasectomy. In figures of the ASRMthe American Society for Reproductive Medicine, achieve 95% patency and a 75% chance of pregnancy.
In Vitro Fertilization to become a father after a vasectomy
When it comes to assisted reproduction solutions to be a father despite having a vasectomy, we find IVF. In this case, the procedure would consist of performing a testicular biopsy on the patient through which to extract the sperm. These can be obtained from each vas deferens or testis. Local or general anesthesia is used for this process. Subsequently, since a small amount of semen is usually obtained, IVF with ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) is performed in the laboratory. To do this, the sperm is prepared, from which a single spermatozoon will be selected, which will be the one that is injected into the egg. In the video that we show you below you can see the process of an ICSI:
sperm cryopreservation
There may be cases in which the patient, prior to the vasectomy, prefers to preserve his gametes. In this way, you can resort to sperm vitrification. Thus, if in the future they consider starting a family, these could be used for assisted reproduction treatment. In this case, you could opt for both IVF and Artificial Insemination (AI).
semen donation
On the other hand, there may be cases in which, by means of the seminogram, male infertility is diagnosed. In this case, the specialist will consider the option of carrying out an assisted reproduction treatment with donor semen. As in the previous case, patients could opt for both IVF and AI. At the IVI clinics we have one of the largest gamete banks in the world, with which we will assign the most suitable donors. What do we take into account? Phenotypic, biometric and genetic criteria.
Should the age of the man be taken into account?
Although emphasis is always placed on how age affects female fertility, male fertility can also be affected by the passage of time. Although men continue to produce sperm throughout their lives, it is known that age can affect both their quantity and quality. And, therefore, the concentration of these and their ability to fertilize are affected.
At IVI we help you to be a father
Now that you know how assisted reproduction, through IVF, can help you become a father despite having undergone a vasectomy, it is important that you know that at IVI we have been leaders in reproductive medicine for more than 30 years. You can get in touch at 900847300 or by filling out the form to request an appointment at IVI and our team will call you.
