Vasectomy is a process of permanent birth control preventing sperm from entering semen (Fluid from the penis). The body will still produce sperm, but the body itself will absorb it. Semen ejaculated after vasectomy typically contains no sperm.
According to US laws, a person can have a vasectomy typically between 16 and 19, depending on each state’s legal age of consent. Contact Lazare Urology to know more about vasectomy, its benefits, and its consequences.
Legal age for vasectomy
Vasectomies are generally performed on people aged 20 to 30 or beyond who have decided not to have children. Some healthcare professionals will deny performing the procedure, suggesting you will regret your decision afterward.
Vasectomy can be reversed, so it is not entirely permanent. Though the success rates for vasectomy reversal have improved, the process is expensive and sometimes complex. It means getting a vasectomy at a younger age should be carefully discussed with healthcare professionals.
Most people seek vasectomy to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. Some people do not want to use any form of birth control. There are other reasons why people get vasectomies.
- For some couples, the other partner can not take birth control pills or shots
- Vasectomy results in a lower risk of unwanted pregnancy than birth control medications because of no presence of sperm altogether.
- Vasectomy is typically safer than tubal ligation. It can be done by tying the fallopian tubes so that the egg can not reach the uterus for fertilization. The process is more complex and has a higher chance of side effects.
- Couples carrying inheritable genes for certain genetic disorders or health conditions may want to avoid passing the disorders to the next generations.
Age limits for a vasectomy
Generally, anyone can decide to have a vasectomy after the age of 18 in any jurisdiction in the US. But they would face some obstacles when deciding to have a vasectomy in specific age groups.
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Vasectomy before 18
No state legally allows vasectomy before 18 years of age. The logic is that the procedure is permanent, and the person having a vasectomy may decide to have children afterward and will not be able to do so.
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Vasectomy at 18
Vasectomy at the age of 19 is legal, but doctors can deny performing the procedure if:
- If the person is too young to have an informed decision.
- The person may mourn the decision afterward
- Have underlying health conditions making vasectomy risky.
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Vasectomy at the age of 21
Many doctors still believe that 21 is too young for individuals to decide to have this life-altering decision. Some doctors require younger individuals to wait 24 to 72 hours after knowing about vasectomy’s side effects before the procedure.
