Are sexual problems more common in men who have had a vasectomy? A population-based study of Australian men

It is not known whether sexual problems are currently more prevalent among men who have had a vasectomy compared with those who have not had a vasectomy.

To investigate whether vasectomized men are more likely to report experiencing a range of sexual problems than nonvasectomized men and to assess their overall sexual and relationship satisfaction.

A population-based survey of 3,390 Australian men's sexual experiences was conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviewing.

Proportions of vasectomized and nonvasectomized men who: (i) reported a sexual problem for at least 1 month during the last 12 months; and (ii) rated their sexual and relationship satisfaction as either extremely satisfying or not extremely satisfying.

Vasectomy was reported by 25.1% of men, almost 70% of whom were aged 40-59 years. Vasectomized men were more likely to be married, live in regional areas, and speak English at home. Having a vasectomy was not associated with any specific sexual problem, such as lacking interest in sex or taking too long to reach orgasm. Vasectomized men (10.8%) were slightly more likely than nonvasectomized men (8.2%) to report problems maintaining an erection, but this difference disappeared when age and other socio-demographic variations were taken into account. Although vasectomized men (33.7%) were just as likely as nonvasectomized men (33.0%) to be extremely satisfied sexually, they were significantly more likely to be extremely satisfied with their relationship overall (48.3% vs. 42.9%).

Our findings suggest that sexual problems are no more prevalent among vasectomized men than they are among nonvasectomized men.