How do I get a vasectomy?
You can get the vasectomy procedure done in several different places:
- At hospital, with a day-patient appointment
- At most sexual health or GUM clinics
Having a vasectomy carried out is free of charge on the NHS in most parts of the UK. However, the waiting list can take several months. You can also choose to have the procedure done privately, which will cost around £400.
Before you decide to have a vasectomy carried out on the NHS – you will have to have a consultation with your doctor. They will be able to provide you with information, and will ask you some basic questions about your reasons for wanting the procedure, and your current lifestyle choices.
A doctor has the right to refuse to perform vasectomy – or they can refuse to refer you for one if they don’t believe that it will be in your best interests. The reasons for this could be, for example, that they think you are too young, or that it is too soon after a big change or crisis in your life. If this happens, you can always seek a second opinion, or choose to pay for it to be done privately.
Before they agree you should have a vasectomy, your doctor they will:
- Check you understand the advantages and disadvantages
- Check you have considered the alternatives
- Check whether you might regret the decision later
- Want to give you extra counselling to make the decision if:
- You don’t have any children
- Your decision is related to a partner currently going through pregnancy
- Your decision is related to ending a relationship with a partner
- You are being encourage to get your vasectomy by someone else
Who can get a vasectomy? – if you are fertile and have a penis you could get vasectomy. Any doctor on the NHS has the right to refuse to carry it out, but you can always choose to pay for the procedure privately.
You shouldn’t have vasectomy if you intend to have children in the future, or would like the option of doing so. Some people choose not to have the procedure for religious reasons.
You might not be able to get a vasectomy if:
- You are recovering from an injury to your scrotum
- You have a whole-body infection or a diarrhoea from an infection
- You have enlarged veins in your testicles
- You have any unusual growths around your testicles