Vasectomy

Question: My husband and I are done having children, but we are somewhat anxious about him getting a Vasectomy.  We are wondering what the effect will be on our sex life.  Will it make him feel less masculine?  Will it make him feel old?  Will I feel more comfortable since I don't have to worry about pregnancy?

Answer: Thanks for writing!  What a wonderful question.  Interestingly, in the latest version of the Journal of Sexual Medicine in an article entitled "Relationship between Vasectomy and Sexual Frequency" by David P. Guo et al., they found that men who had vasectomies actually had more sexual frequency than nonvasectomized men.  For vasectomized men, the average frequency of intercourse was 5.9 times per month, whereas it was 4.9 times per month for nonvasectomized men.  According to this research, after controlling for age, marital status, race, education, health, body mass index, children, and income, vasectomized men have an 81% higher odds of having sexual intercourse at least once per week compared to nonvasectomized men.  Perhaps this could be partly attributed to the fact that it makes the woman feel more at ease and less anxious about pregnancy or perhaps couples who choose vasectomy may feel more secure and stable in the future of their relationship.  Either way, hopefully this information can help reassure you that it may be a more favorable contraceptive method than you had expected.