By Mountain Family Health Centers
Mountain Family Health Centers is offering vasectomies during March and April in celebration of March Madness. The men’s and women’s basketball championships offer riveting couch time… just what’s needed for recovering from a simple surgery. If a vasectomy is right for you or your partner, it’s a safe, effective birth control option that can last for life.
Why consider a vasectomy?
Men don’t have very many options for birth control since most products are designed for women to use. Men can wear condoms, which are important for preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs). But condoms aren’t very reliable as birth control: they’re only 85% effective in preventing pregnancy. Withdrawal has gained popularity in recent years, also called the Pull Out Method, but it’s challenging to do correctly. About 1 in 5 people who use withdrawal get pregnant. An option that guys have that’s more effective is getting a vasectomy.
What happens during a vasectomy?
Vasectomy is a surgery in which a small opening, approximately one centimeter, is made in the skin of the scrotum. (The scrotum is the skin around the testicles.) The right and left vas deferens, or tubes caring sperm, are brought out through the opening. The doctor doing the surgery cuts out a section of each vas deferens. This prevents sperm, which usually travel from the testicles to the penis, from being ejaculated during sex, preventing pregnancy. Vasectomy is almost 100% effective at preventing pregnancy.
Will the surgery be painful?
We use several techniques to minimize pain. Patients take medicine before the
surgery to help relax and prevent pain. A local anesthetic, or numbing medicine,
is injected in the scrotum at the beginning of the surgery to prevent any
feeling in the area. Dr. Chris Tonozzi, MD, is one of our experienced
physicians here at Mountain Family Health Centers, and uses a technique called
no-scalpel vasectomy. The opening in the skin is very small, reducing the need
for skin to be cut. This minimizes pain, swelling, bleeding and other
complications.
How much recovery time will I need?
It’s recommended that you have 2 – 3 days off from work, depending on what kind
of work or physical activities you normally do. Most patients are back to
regular full activity within a week after surgery, including work and sports.
You should wait about a week after surgery before resuming sex.
Will getting a vasectomy affect enjoyment of sex? The surgery doesn’t affect hormones or how a man has sex. For many couples, knowing that they have 100% effective birth control helps them enjoy sex more. The semen (the liquid ejaculated during sex) will not have sperm in it any longer, but the man will still have semen, and it will look the same.
How much does a vasectomy cost? Insurance generally covers vasectomy. If you don’t have insurance, Mountain Family has sliding fee scale program that may provide a discount. If you do not qualify for the sliding scale program and your insurance does not cover vasectomy, the charge is $50 – $250 for the consult (doctor’s appointment preceding the procedure) plus $721 for the procedure and follow-up appointment.Without insurance coverage or a discount, the total cost is $771 – $971.
Want to pay up front and lower the price? At Mountain Family we always honor a 20% paid-in-full discount when you pay at the time of service. If you pay for the consult and vasectomy at the time of service, you qualify for a 20% discount on each. That means $576.80 for the vasectomy and follow-up appointment plus $40 – $200 for the consult. Paying up front would have a total cost of $616.80 – 776.80.
When can I sign up? Now! We’re hoping to get men interested in signing up for the simple procedure this month and in April. If you think a vasectomy is right for you, and you’re also a basketball fan, consider a vasectomy during this time. You’ll have a great excuse for lounging on the couch for 2 – 3 days watching basketball!Call us at 970-945-2840 to schedule your consult. During that appointment we will choose a date to do the surgery.