Vasectomy vs. Essure: The Final Plan

Two kids was the plan, but two more later and your hands are now as full as that minivan you’re driving — jam-packed to the brim with your pride and joy — from one practice to another rehearsal three times a week. You wouldn’t trade your own personal cast of the Fantastic Four for the world, especially when you’re the hero in their eyes, but enough is enough.

You and your spouse have finally set it in stone: Our fourth child will be our final child. However, intimacy can’t be ignored simply because your family is as full as you want it to be, so you and your spouse begin to weigh your options.

You’ve had close friends bend your ear about Essure, a permanent form of female birth control, as well as the value in having a vasectomy, also a permanent form of birth control, but for men. Given that either yourself or your spouse will be entirely unable to produce children going forward, this decision can understandably be a nerve-racking one, but you can find comfort in the calming presence of the professionals at the Austin Urology Institute.

So what are the pros and cons of each option, you ask, as you evaluate this life-altering decision?

Essure is a metal coil device inserted into the female Fallopian tubes to obstruct the pathway of the ovarian follicles, and thus, prevents sperm from reaching the egg. While that will certainly get the job done, it’s worth considering the side effects, which include cramping, mild to moderate pain, vaginal bleeding, and pelvic or back discomfort for a few days after the procedure. Some women experience headaches, nausea and/or vomiting, or dizziness and/or fainting. Not a whole lot of fun.

And when the primary objective is to keep your kid count from increasing, it’s worth considering that Essure has a failure rate of .26%, which is higher than that of a vasectomy.

To that end, a vasectomy comes with its own set of pros and cons, but the professionals at the Austin Urology Institute, the premier men’s wellness center in Austin, are here to assure the pros far outweigh the cons.

Much like the insertion of Essure, a vasectomy can be can be conducted in-office, and takes only about 15 minutes to complete. During a vasectomy, the small incisions are made in the scrotum to access the vas deferens, which is then clipped, cut and cauterized to prevent the flow of sperm. Although vasectomies have been linked to an increased rate in prostate cancer, we at the Austin Urology Institute are not only the top option for those seeking a vasectomy in the Austin, Texas area, but in the event that prostate cancer surgery is required, Dr. Shaw is revered as the premier urological cancer surgeon in Texas.

Fortunately for those who are entertaining the idea of having a vasectomy procedure done with the No. 1 urologist in Austin, Texas, Dr. Shaw and his staff boast more than a decade of experience and mastery in da Vinci surgery, which proves beneficial in limiting potential pain, and reducing recovery time and any additional risks that can be associated with a vasectomy procedure.

In any case, regardless of which procedure you’re leaning towards, it’s a life-changing decision, and one that isn’t expected to be taken lightly. For professional guidance and consultation, contact us as www.austinurologyinstitute.com/contact.