Tubal ligation is permanent birth control option for women. In this procedure, the fallopian tubes are blocked to prevent eggs moving from ovary through fallopian tubes and thereby preventing them from meeting the sperm. On the other hand, vasectomy is a permanent birth control option for men in which the vas deferens tubes are tied and cauterised to prevent the transport of sperm during ejaculation. Among these two procedures, vasectomy is considered to be more simple and a safer method of birth control. If you are looking for a more permanent form of birth control in your relationship and are looking at different options for both men and women, this article will outline two of the more permanent options for men and women to help make an informed decision. Based on our findings, it seems that more people prefer a vasectomy over tubal ligation for many different personal and medical reasons which are discussed below.
Safety
Tubal ligation involves the hospitalization of women as the procedure requires women to receive a general anesthesia. The tubal ligation procedure is considered to be more a more complicated and lengthier procedure compared to a vasectomy as a vasectomy does not require hospitalization. A no-scalpel vasectomy procedure can actually be done in 10 minutes and allows the patient to go home the same day. Not only can the vasectomy be completed in minutes but it can also be done by barely scoring the scrotum skin. The vasectomy procedure is safer in the sense that it does not require hospitalization, but not only is it safer but there is that convenience factor that should also be considered. Can you afford to take more time off to be hospitalized or are you restricted with the number of days you are able to take off. With most vasectomy patients, they get the procedure done on a Friday and are back to work on the Monday. With tubal ligation, complication may occur which could cause a longer stay in the hospital.
Risks
Tubal ligation is a laparoscopic procedure which requires several hours of recovery in the hospital. Not only that, but the recuperation time may also take a number of days. Complications from anesthesia, perforation of the intestine and even infection are the potential risks that accompany this birth control method for women. Though less serious, there are chances for long term side effects like pelvic pain and painful menstrual cycles. A complication named “post tubal ligation syndrome” is also being discussed but it is still under study.
When it comes to vasectomy, it is simply an outpatient procedure which the doctor takes less than half an hour usually to complete. Also, there are no scientifically proven long term complications or risks of serious complications reported after the procedure.
Costs
The costs associated with each procedure is quite different. The cost of the tubal ligation is four times more than the cost of a vasectomy. The average cost of a vasectomy procedure is $500, whereas the average cost of a tubal ligation procedure for women is $2,000+. If price is a variable that you need to consider, than you should speak to your physician to obtain the exact prices of each procedure to make an exact comparison.
This article was not meant to sway you one way or the other, but instead is to provide you with a comparison at a glance of both the vasectomy and tubal ligation procedures. Based on the above comparisons, vasectomy does have lower risks, more convenience and a lower cost associated with it compared to tubal ligation. However, it is highly recommended that you speak to your physician or visit a clinic to speak to a doctor on these types of procedures to hear first hand the risks and advantages of each procedure. Try to obtain all the information available to you before making a permanent decision.