Can You Be Too Old to Have a Vasectomy?
There’s no upper age limit for a vasectomy. As long as you have you are in good health and now taking medications like blood thinners [3] that can increase the risk of complications. For someone with greater risks of complications associated with any surgery or medical procedure, the risks and benefits of a vasectomy should be weighed carefully.
Some common side effects of vasectomy include:
- infection
- hematoma (bleeding under the skin) [4]
- granuloma (a lump in the scrotum formed by sperm that leaks out of the vas deferens, the sperm-carrying ducts that are cut during a vasectomy) [5]
- vasectomy failure (a small risk that pregnancy can occur after a vasectomy) [6]
Heterosexual couples should also take the fertility of their partner into consideration.
Many people with vulvas over 45 years old are typically no longer able to have children naturally. In these cases, someone considering a vasectomy with an older partner may not need a vasectomy to prevent pregnancy. But if an older person seeking a vasectomy has a younger partner who’s still able to conceive naturally, they may be a much better candidate for a vasectomy in order to prevent pregnancy.