Tubal Ligation Vs. Vasectomy

Many spouses are tired of the complications caused by the birth control pills and shots that women take. It might help to prevent pregnancy – but it can also cause excessive weight gain, out of control hormones, and even blood clots. That is why spouses are instead considering using the permanent forms of birth control – sterilization.

The two most common of these is tubal ligation and vasectomy. Before you decide on either one you must understand that though these can be reversed there is no guarantee that this will work. You should only use these if you are sure that you do not want anymore children.

The two procedures are vastly different. The tubal ligation procedure is more complicated and expensive. The woman will need to be given a general anesthesia and will undergo a surgical procedure in an operating room for a few hours. Afterwards they must stay one or two days in the hospital to make sure that nothing went wrong. However, the total recovery time is about six weeks.

A vasectomy is less expensive and is done inside of the doctor’s office. The man is given a general anesthesia and the procedure is usually done after ten or fifteen minutes. The recovery time takes between two days to a week.

The tubal ligation is usually done during a laparoscopic procedure. The side effects include perforation of the intestine, infection, and complications from the anesthesia. However, these are rare and most women – after they have recovered – have no further problems.

After a vasectomy most men will experience discomfort and pain that can subside after a day or two. The more serious side effects that can occur include granulomas and epididymitis. This will occur when men have done strenuous activities too soon after the surgery. There will also be problems if the sperm leaks into the scrotal tissues. It will create a mass and will cause pain and swelling.