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A vasectomy is a procedure providing permanent male contraception.  A man’s testicles make sperm, but the sperm produced are immature and not ready to fertilize an egg for conception. The sperm travel from the testicle to a structure attached to the testicle called the epididymis. There they grow and mature into adult sperm. When a man ejaculates, sperm travel from the epididymis through a long tube which allows them to enter the pelvis where the tube joins into the prostate. This tube, called the vas deferens, allows the sperm to join the semen which is produced by the seminal vesicles and prostate. The addition of the sperm to the semen allows for the possibility of conception and pregnancy. A “vas”-ectomy removes a small portion of the vas deferens tube and seals the two ends. This prevents transportation of sperm from the epididymi to the prostate and the semen. Fluid is still seen at ejaculation, as it is mostly produced by the seminal vesicles and prostate, but it lacks the sperm necessary to fertile an egg and cause a pregnancy. The sensation of ejaculation and orgasm is unchanged as is erectile function. Sperm are still produced, but remain in the scrotum. They expire and are resorbed and replaced with new sperm, but again the sperm are unable to leave the scrotum to join the semen, rendering the patient sterile. A vasectomy is 99.999% effective in preventing future conception and pregnancy, the most effective method of birth control.