Hello.  I am 20 years old and would like to get a vasectomy.  I am
completely sure I do not want to have children.  I could debate for
hours about my reasons but I do have my mind made up.  I have done
some research and have been
told that no doctor would perform this opperation on me because of my
age and I do not have any children.  I can definately understand the
reasoning behind this since it is for the most part permanent.  I want
to know if anyone can find info stating otherwise.  I am in Seattle so
the closer the better but
I will travel where needed.  I have even considered Canada or possibly
Mexico for this but am worried about legallity and want to be sure I'm
going to a doctor that knows what he is doing for obvious reasons. 
I'm looking for the nearest place and an estimate of the cost for the
opperation.  Thanks

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Request for Question Clarification by knowledge_seeker-ga on 13 Aug 2003 04:31 PDT

Hi there,

You said, "I have done some research and have been told that no doctor
would perform this opperation on me because of my age .."

Have you actually spoken to any doctors? Or is this information you
have gotten from other sources?

It might help researchers to know what ground you've already covered.

-K~

Hi!

I have got absolutely no idea where you might get the op.

However, I would say that experience shows that people can do a
complete U-turn on this issue and, as you know, the op is probably
irreversible.

In any event, contraception is such that, for the most part, people
don't need to have unwanted children.

Regards

Bryan

I imagine most doctors would consider it unethical to do this for
someone so young in the absence of a pressing medical reason.

It's true that *most* doctors balk at performing this operation on men
under 30, especially if they're unmarried and they've fathered no
children.  (After my youngest was born, my husband had one.  I had to
go to a consultation with him and *sign a permission slip* saying *I*
was OK with his decision!  Some doctors will take extreme measures.)

I would suggest you visit your local Planned Parenthood clinic. 
Planned Parenthood will typically be able to refer you to a physician
who can perform the operation, or even perform the operation
themselves if the location has the capabilities.  They won't hassle
you about it, either - their philosophy is "every child a wanted
child".

What's your Zip Code in Seattle?  I can pull up the nearest clinic for
you.

--Missy

Having performed many hundreds of vasectomies, I'd tell you you are
too young to make that decision. No matter what you think now, it's
not at all unlikely you'd change your mind in the future. And consider
this: if you are sexually active with various partners, you should be
using condoms anyway, even if you had a vasectomy: I assume you're
aware of the serious STD's out there, none of which can be avoided
without barrier protection. So, you are very young, you need to be
using condoms until you get to the point where you have only one
long-term partner. So why burn the vasectomy bridge???

Hi,

If you have the money, perhaps it is possible to have some sperm
frozen before your operation?  That way, even if you do change your
mind someday down the road, you have a viable option for being able to
do so.  And if you've let doctor's know you've done this, perhaps they
would be more receptive towards performing the surgery as well.

By the way, as surgeon-ga is surely aware, it is possible to reverse
the procedure of a vasectomy at some point in time (this procedure is
called a vasovasostomy)  Reversals within 3 years of the vasectomy are
very successful, and though success rates diminish with time, even
much later success reversals are possible.  Some information on this
can be found in this article:

http://content.health.msn.com/content/article/43/1687_50437

Having said all that, like everyone else who has commented, I think
you are better off waiting at least another five years.  My thoughts
were much like yours when I was 20, but the following decade of life
experiences changed my thoughts on that and a lot of other issues. 
It's only when I hit 30 that I started becoming an old fogey getting
set in my ways.  ;-)