Consent

It is important for you to consider vasectomy as a permanent procedure and you should only make this decision when you are happy that your family is complete and alternative forms of contraception are unsuitable. You should only consent to going ahead with vasectomy after you have fully considered the facts and alternative options having taken into account the possibility of a failure of your present relationship or if something should happen to one of your existing children. Although it may be possible to reverse the vasectomy, this is not always successful. What is more, vasectomy reversal is generally much more painful and debilitating and is usually not funded on the NHS.

It is not necessary for your partner to give her consent for you to have a vasectomy, although we strongly encourage you to fully discuss the issue with her beforehand.

The statement of consent is worded as follows:

I ………………………………………………………consent to the operation of vasectomy (male sterilisation) to be performed on myself and to receive a local anaesthetic for this purpose. I understand that the operation is intended to render me permanently sterile and become unable to father any further children once I have received written confirmation that the operation has become effective (which will be determined by the return of a clear semen sample). I understand that the operation is effectively irreversible and no assurance has been given that it will be 100% safe or successful. I have read the information leaflet and have been counselled regarding the nature, success rate and complications of the operation including the incidence of chronic testicular pain after the procedure.