Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: The INFO Project

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Dr. Jim Shelton's Pearls "Pearl" for the week of November 12, 2004

When Vasectomy Becomes Effective

How soon after a vasectomy procedure can a man rely on it for contraception?

A. 1 month
B. 2 months
C. 3 months
D. After 30 ejaculations
E. After 100 ejaculations
F. After 3 months or 30 ejaculations, whichever comes first.

The answer is C (3 months), according to the latest Selected Practice Recommendations from WHO. (Previously, some guidelines had recommended a certain number of ejaculations, but this is no longer the case.)

During the 3 month period, men should continue sexual activity, but need to use additional contraceptive protection. In addition, semen analysis, where available, can confirm contraceptive protection after the 3-month waiting period.

See the WHO's Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use (Second Edition - 2004).

The "Pearls" offer answers to commonly asked questions about family planning. These "Pearls" are prepared by Dr. James D. Shelton, Senior Medical Scientist, Office of Population, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Disclaimer: The information provided on this web site is not official U.S. Government information and does not represent the views or positions of the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Government or The Johns Hopkins University.