Q: I am 30 years old and have been married for 7 years. I have 2 children, a 1-month-old infant and a year old son. I am planning for an operation, as I think that it's better for me to undergo this operation rather than my wife. What circumstances will I face? What if I want to have a child after the operation? Is it possible to have a child then? Will this operation affect my sexual life?

A:Vasectomy, surgery to prevent inadvertent pregnancies, is a simple and straightforward procedure. Usual recommendation is to have the procedure only after you think your family is complete, and the youngest child is at least 2 years. This recommendation was made considering the infant mortality rates. Till the time is ripe for a permanent surgical procedure, temporary methods like condoms or an intrauterine implant device (like Copper T) would be more suitable. Reversal of vasectomy is possible using a microsurgical procedure. Results of the procedure are dependent upon the duration after which the reversal is done, meaning the outcome is poorer if procedure is done after 25 years, than that expected within a few years after vasectomy.