Sexual Health Reproductive Health Issues How Soon Can I Have Sex After a Vasectomy? Complete sterility after surgery may take months By Jerry Kennard Jerry Kennard Jerry Kennard, PhD, is a psychologist and associate fellow of the British Psychological Society. Learn about our editorial process Updated on December 10, 2021 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Chioma Ndubisi, MD Medically reviewed by Chioma Ndubisi, MD Chioma Ndubisi, MD, is a board-certified OB/GYN who specializes in sexual and reproductive health in New York, New York. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print You can safely have sex about one to two weeks after a vasectomy, but the effect on your sterility will not be complete until about three months after the procedure. You need to go through a semen analysis after your vasectomy to confirm that you cannot get your partner pregnant. In the meantime, if you are going to be sexually active within the first few months after your vasectomy, you'll need to use another method of birth control to prevent pregnancy. This article will discuss recovery time, how soon you can expect to become sterile, and ways to prevent pregnancy until that time. Verywell / Hilary Allison Recovery Most men feel soreness around the testicular area for a few days after a vasectomy. Sex can increase the pain and may cause a delay in healing, or even an infection. In fact, during the first few days, you may need to take it easy and lie down, avoiding strenuous activity such as running or lifting. During the first week after a vasectomy, you should expect to have a small wound on your scrotum at the site where the procedure was done. You could have one or two small wounds depending on how your healthcare provider performed the vasectomy. Placing ice packs in the groin area, with a towel to protect your skin, can help reduce the swelling. Wearing tight-fitting underwear or a jockstrap can help as well. Call your healthcare provider if you experience persistent or worsening pain, a high fever (over 100.4 degrees), a bloody discharge or a discharge containing pus (mucopurulent discharge), or increasing redness and swelling around the testicles or incision site. Sex drive and erections should not be affected by a vasectomy, so you should not experience any changes in this regard. If you have concerns about either, mention it to your healthcare provider so they can do a workup to identify any other potential causes of your symptoms. It's important to talk to your healthcare provider about these and other risks of the procedure. Even though vasectomy is considered permanent there is a 1 in 2,000 failure rate (which is still lower than other forms of birth control). Also 1% of men may have long-term feelings of congestion or pain in their testicles after a vasectomy. Confirming Sterility After you heal from your vasectomy, you will be able to have sex and ejaculate, but your procedure will not immediately provide pregnancy protection. The first 15–20 ejaculations you have after your vasectomy will still contain active sperm. It can take between eight and 16 weeks for you to become sterile. Most healthcare providers will get a semen analysis at the three-month mark to confirm sterility. In rare cases, you may still have semen in your ejaculate. If so, the healthcare provider will likely repeat the test in a few months. Semen Analysis For your analysis, you will have to provide your healthcare provider with a semen sample. You can do this by masturbating into a specimen container that your practitioner's office provides. You should avoid ejaculation for 24–72 hours before your collection, as sperm may decrease if you ejaculate multiple times within a few days, causing an inaccurate test result. The test results are often considered more reliable if the semen is collected at the healthcare provider's office because it can be taken to the lab immediately. You will be provided with a private space to ejaculate your semen. You can masturbate into a specimen cup at home, but your semen must be kept at body temperature and delivered to the testing facility within 30–60 minutes. This fluid will then be examined under a microscope to see if there are any active sperm. Sex Before Sterility Confirmation If you have sexual intercourse before your sterility is confirmed by a semen analysis, use an alternative form of birth control (such as condoms) to avoid pregnancy. You can use condoms, or your partner can use oral contraceptives, an intrauterine device (IUD), or a diaphragm. All of these require some planning ahead, of course. A Word From Verywell While waiting to have sex after a vasectomy may be frustrating to you, it can be important for your healing as well as important in preventing pregnancy. Know, though, that a vasectomy does not provide any protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). If you are at risk of getting an STI or transmitting one to your partner, you need to use a barrier method of protection, such as condoms. 5 Common Myths About Vasectomy Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 2 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Johnson D,Sandlow JI. Vasectomy: tips and tricks. Transl Androl Urol.2017 Aug;6(4):704-709. doi:10.21037/tau.2017.07.08. University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Vasectomy.