Sterilization is a surgical technique leaving a male or female unable to procreate. It is a method of birth control. A thoracic surgeon performs a mitral valve replacement at the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, November 1990. ... Birth control is a regimen of one or more actions, devices, or medications followed in order to deliberately prevent or reduce the likelihood of a woman giving birth or becoming pregnant. ...

Common sterilization methods include:

• Vasectomy in males. The vasa deferentia, the tubes which connect the testicles to the prostate, are cut and closed. This prevents sperm produced in the testicles to enter the ejaculated semen (which is mostly produced in the seminal vesicles and prostate). Although the term 'vasectomy' is established in the general community, the correct medical terminology is deferentectomy, since the structure known as the 'vas deferens' has been renamed the ductus deferens.
• Tubal ligation in females, known popularly as having one's "tubes tied". The Fallopian tubes, which allow the sperm to fertilize the ovum and would carry the fertilized ovum to the uterus, are closed.
• Hysterectomy in females. The uterus is surgically removed, permanently preventing pregnancy and some diseases, such as uterine cancer.
• Castration in males. The testicles are surgically removed. This is frequently used for the sterilization of animals, with added effects such as docility, greatly reduced sexual behaviour, and faster weight gain (which is desirable in some cases, for example to accelerate meat production).

The shield and spear of the Roman God Mars are often used to represent the male sex In heterogamous species, male is the sex of an organism, or of a part of an organism, which typically produces smaller, mobile gametes (spermatozoa) that are able to fertilise female gametes (ova). ... The vas deferens, also called ductus deferens, (Latin: carrying-away vessel) is part of male anatomy of some species, notably including humans. ... Human male anatomy The testicles (singular testis), are the male generative glands in animals. ... Male Anatomy The prostate is an exocrine gland of the male mammalian reproductive system. ... The signifier sperm can refer to: (mass noun, from Greek sperma = seed) a substance which consists of spermatozoa and which is a component of semen (mass noun) semen itself (informally, count noun with plural sperm or sperms) a single spermatozoon (= sperm cell) sperma ceti (Latin ceti, genitive of cetus = whale... Semen is a fluid that contains spermatozoa. ... Male Anatomy The seminal vesicles are a pair of glands on the posterior surface of the urinary bladder of males. ... Male Anatomy The prostate is an exocrine gland of the male mammalian reproductive system. ... Female internal reproductive anatomy The Fallopian tubes or oviducts are two very fine tubes leading from the ovaries of female mammals into the uterus. ... A human ovum An ovum (from Latin, loosely, egg or egg cell) is a female sex cell or gamete. ... The uterus or womb is the major female reproductive organ of most mammals, including humans. ... A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus, usually done by a gynecologist. ... The mirror of the Roman Goddess Venus is often used to represent the female sex. ... The uterus or womb is the major female reproductive organ of most mammals, including humans. ... Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more embryos or fetuses by female mammals, including humans, inside their bodies. ... A disease is an abnormal condition of the body or mind that causes discomfort, dysfunction, or distress to the person afflicted or those in contact with the person. ... Endometrial cancer involves cancerous growth of the endometrium (lining of the uterus). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Various meats Cold Meat Salad Meat, in its broadest modern definition, is all animal tissue intended to be used as food. ...

Vasectomy

Vasectomy should not be confused with castration: vasectomy does not involve removal of the testicles and it affects neither the production of male sex hormones (mainly testosterone) nor their secretion into the bloodstream. Therefore sexual desire (libido) and the ability to have an erection and an orgasm with an ejaculation are not affected. Because the sperm itself makes up a very small proportion of the ejaculate, vasectomy does not affect the volume, appearance, texture or flavor of the ejaculate. Similarly, in females, hormone production, libido, and the menstrual cycle are not affected by a tubal ligation. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A hormone (from Greek horman - to set in motion) is a chemical messenger from one cell (or group of cells) to another. ... Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group. ... Human blood smear: a - erythrocytes; b - neutrophil; c - eosinophil; d - lymphocyte. ... Libido in its common usage means sexual desire, however more technical definitions, such as found in the work of Carl Jung, are more general, referring to libido as the free creative, or psychic, energy an individual has to put toward personal development, or individuation. ... An erection of the penis occurs when two tubular structures that run the length of the penis, the corpora cavernosa, become engorged with venous blood. ... An orgasm (from Greek: οργασμός orgasmós, from orgán - to swell, be lustful), also known as a sexual climax, is a pleasurable physical, psychological or emotional response to prolonged sexual stimulation. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Menstrual cycle. ...

When the vasectomy is complete, sperm can no longer exit the body through the penis. They are broken down and absorbed by the body. Fluid content is absorbed by membranes in the epididymis, and solid content is broken down by macrophages and re-absorbed via the blood stream. Sperm is matured in the epididymis for about a month once it leaves the testicles, and approximately 50% of the sperm produced never make it to ejaculation in a non-vasectomized man. After vasectomy, the membranes increase in size to absorb more fluid, and more macrophages are recruited to break down and re-absorb the solid content. The penis (plural penises or penes) or phallus is an external male sexual organ. ... Macrophages (Greek: big eaters) are cells found in tissues that are responsible for phagocytosis of pathogens, dead cells and cellular debris. ... Macrophages (Greek: big eaters) are cells found in tissues that are responsible for phagocytosis of pathogens, dead cells and cellular debris. ...

Safety and effectiveness

Early failure rates of vasectomy are below 1%, but the effectiveness of the operation and rates of complications vary with the level of experience of the surgeon performing the operation and the surgical technique used. Early complications, including hematoma, infection, sperm granulomas, epididymitis-orchitis, and congestive epididymitis, occur in 1%–6% of men undergoing vasectomy. The incidence of chronic epididymal pain is poorly documented^[1]. Animal and human data indicate that vasectomy does not increase atherosclerosis and that increases in circulating immune complexes after vasectomy are transient. The weight of the evidence regarding prostate and testicular cancer suggests that men with vasectomy are not at increased risk of these cancers.^[2] Hematoma on an elbow, nine days after a blood sample was taken Hematoma on a forearm, one day after repeated shocks A hematoma, or haematoma, is a collection of blood, generally the result of hemorrhage. ... In medicine (anatomical pathology), a granuloma is a group of epithelioid macrophages surrounded by a lymphocyte cuff. ... Epididymitis is a medical condition where the epididymis becomes inflamed. ...

Although late failure (caused by recanalization of the vasa deferentia) is very rare, it has been documented.^[3]

Vasectomy is the most effective long-term contraceptive method, and is among the safest options for family planning. How popular sterilization is as a birth control method varies by age, with men in their mid 30's to mid 40's being most likely to have a vasectomy. The rate of vasectomies to tubal ligations worldwide is extremely variable, and the statistics are mostly based on questionaire studies rather than actual counts of procedures performed. In 2005, the CDC published state by state details of birth control usage by method and age group^[4]. Overall, tubal ligation is ahead of vasectomy but not by a large factor. In Britain vasectomy is more popular than tubal ligation, though this statistic may be as a result of the statistical data gathering methodology. Couples who opt for tubal ligation do so for a number of reasons, including: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, is recognized as the leading United States agency for protecting the public health and safety of people. ...

• Convenience of coupling the procedure with delivery at a hospital.
• Refusal of the man to undergo vasectomy due to fear of possible side effects.

Couples who choose vasectomy are motivated by, among other factors^[5]:

• Fear of surgery in the woman
• Knowing men who have had the procedure and are satisfied with the results
• A stronger motivation for sterilization in the man
• The lower cost and simplicity of vasectomy
• The lower mortality of vasectomy

Reversal

In order to allow for reproduction (via artificial insemination) after vasectomy, some men opt for cryostorage of sperm before sterilization. However, the long term viability of spermatozoa in cryostorage is questionable. Artificial insemination (AI) is when sperm is placed into a females uterus (intrauterine), or cervix (intracervical) using artificial means rather than by natural copulation. ... Cryopreservation, also cryogenically freeze, is a process where cells or whole tissues are preserved by cooling to low sub-zero temperatures, such as (typically) -80°C or -196°C (the boiling point of liquid nitrogen). ...

Although men considering vasectomies should not think of them as reversible, and most men and their spouses are satisfied with the operation^{[6] [7]}, there is a procedure to reverse vasectomies using vasovasostomy (a form of microsurgery). It is, however, not effective in all cases, with the success rate depending on such factors as the method used for the vasectomy and the length of time that has passed since the vasectomy was performed. A reversible process (or reversible cycle if the process is cyclic) , in thermodynamics, is a process that can be reversed by means of infinitesimal changes in some property of the system (Sears and Salinger, 1986). ... Vasectomies in males can be reversed, this process is called a vasovasostomy. ... Microsurgery is a type of surgery where an operation microscope is required in order to perform opératoire precision acts. ...

Various temporary male contraceptives are being researched but not yet available, such as male oral contraceptives and the intra vas device. There has been at least one documented case of a vasectomy being reversed on a dog, which then fathered puppies after the reversal.^{[citation needed]} Male Contraceptive Male contraception refers to the process of inhibiting fertilization of the egg with the sperm using methods that deal solely (or primarily) with procedures applied to the male partner. ... The Male pill is a colloquial term for a male oral contraceptive. ... The intra vas device is a proposed contraceptive device for men, analogous to the IUD for women. ... Puppy may refer to: A young dog Puppy Linux Puppy (album), an album by the band Fluke This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ...

Tubal ligation

In women, a tubal ligation can be done in many forms, through a vaginal approach, through laparoscopy, a minilaparotomy ("minilap"), or through a regular laparotomy. Also a distiction is made between postpartum tubal ligation and interval tubal ligation, the latter being done not after a recent delivery. There are a variety of tubal ligation techniques, noteworthy the Pomeroy type that was described by Ralph Pomeroy in 1930, the Falope ring that can easily be applied via laparoscopy, and tubal cauterization done usually via laparoscopy. Also a bilateral salpingectomy is, of course, effective as a tubal ligation procedure. A tubal ligation can be performed as a secondary procedure when a laparatomy is done, ie a cesarean section. Any of these procedures may be sometimes referred to as having one's "tubes tied." Laparoscopic surgery, also called keyhole surgery (when natural body openings are not used), bandaid surgery, or minimally invasive surgery (MIS), is a surgical technique. ... A laparotomy is a surgical maneuver involving an incision through the abdominal wall to gain access into the abdominal cavity. ... Ralph Hayward Pomeroy , born January 12, 1867 in New York City, died August 22, 1925, was an American gynecologist who became famous after his death for a female sterilization procedure that he had developed and now carries his name as the “Pomeroy” tubal ligation. ... Salpingectomy refers to the surgical removal of a Fallopian tube. ... A caesarean section (cesarean section AE), is a surgical incision through a mothers abdomen (laparotomy) and uterus (hysterotomy) to deliver one or more fetuses. ...

Reversal

Generally tubal ligation procedures are done with the intention to be permanent, and most patients are satisfied with their sterilizations^[7]. However, some types of procedure can be reversed with surgery, notably those that leave a sizable amount of tubal tissue in place, i.e the Pomeroy type of tubal ligation or the Falope ring application. In contrast, tubal ligation with the use of cautery, or a salpingectomy are generally poor or no candidates for reversal. However, in vitro fertilization can overcome fertility problems in patients with tubal occlusion due to any type of tubal ligation. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a technique in which egg cells are fertilized outside the mothers body in cases where conception is difficult or impossible through normal intercourse. ...

Sterilization of animals

In animals, castration (removal of the testes) and salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes), called "neutering" or "spaying" when applied to pets, are used to reduce or eliminate sexual behaviour, and to prevent conception, heat and possible uterine diseases in females, potentially prolonging an animal's lifespan. Due to the hormonal changes involved with both genders, this will definitely cause minor personality changes in the animal. When these changes are undesired, a different method of sterilization can be used, such as vasectomy in males or tubal ligation in females. A typical example of this practise is when male cats are subjected to vasectomy so that they are able to mate with females, thereby "bringing them off heat" (terminating estrus). This keeps the condition of the female from deteriorating due to the extra energy that is expended during estrus. A vasectomized male cat is called a "teaser tom" by cat breeders. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Oophorectomy is the surgical removal of the ovaries of a female animal. ... Spaying and neutering are the respective processes of female and male animal sterilization, in order to keep them from producing offspring. ... Estrus (also spelled œstrus) or heat in female mammals is the period of greatest female sexual responsiveness usually coinciding with ovulation. ... A hormone (from Greek horman - to set in motion) is a chemical messenger from one cell (or group of cells) to another. ...

Animal control organizations urge owners who do not keep animals for the specific purpose of breeding from them to have their pets spayed or neutered in order to prevent an increase in the population of stray animals. These stray animals are often malnourished, and are frequently euthanized by animal welfare societies. Euthanasia (Greek, good death) is the practice of killing a person or animal, in a painless or minimally painful way, for merciful reasons, usually to end their suffering. ...

See also

• Eugenics
• Compulsory sterilization
• Male oral contraceptive
• Intra vas device

Eugenics is the self-direction of human evolution: Logo from the Second International Congress of Eugenics, 1921, depicting it as a tree which unites a variety of different fields. ... Compulsory sterilization programs are government policies which attempt to force people to undergo surgical sterilization. ... The Male pill is a colloquial term for a male oral contraceptive. ... The intra vas device is a proposed contraceptive device for men, analogous to the IUD for women. ...

External links

• Vasectomy Information —The website of newsgroup alt.support.vasectomy.
• My Vasectomy in Words and Pictures —One man's personal experience.
• The male reproductive system after vasectomy - diagram
• Vasectomy Reversal Resource
• Vasectomy - Patient Education (urologychannel)
• Vasectomy Reversal - Patient Education (urologychannel)
• Female Sterilization Options - Patient Education (womenshealthchannel)
• Nazi Sterilization

References

1. ^ Christiansen and Sandlow (2003). "Testicular Pain Following Vasectomy: A Review of Postvasectomy Pain Syndrome". Journal of Andrology 24: 293–298. PMID 12721203.
2. ^ Pamela J. Schwingl, Ph.D., and Harry A. Guess, M.D. (2000). "Safety and effectiveness of vasectomy". Fertility and Sterility 73 (5): 923–936.
3. ^ Philp, T; Guillebaud et al (1984). "Late failure of vasectomy after two documented analyses showing azoospermic semen". British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.) 289 (6437): 77–79. PMID 6428685.
4. ^ Bensyl, D.M. and Iuliano, D. and Carter, M. and Santelli, J. and Gilbert, B.C. (November 2005). "Contraceptive Use — United States and Territories, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2002". Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 54 (SS06): 1-72. Retrieved on 5 May 2006.
5. ^ William R. Finger (Spring 1998). "Attracting Men to Vasectomy". Network 18 (3). Retrieved on 5 May 2006.
6. ^ Evelyn Landry and Victoria Ward (1997). "Perspectives from Couples on the Vasectomy Decision: A Six-Country Study". Reproductive Health Matters (special issue): 58–67.
7. ^ ^a b Denise J. Jamieson et al (2002). "A Comparison of Women’s Regret After Vasectomy Versus Tubal Sterilization". Obstetrics & Gynecology 99 (6): 1073–1079. PMID 12052602.