My husband had a vasectomy 8 years ago, is it possible after all this time it didn't work? He never went for a sperm count.

It is possible that it has recanalized, and this is about 1 chance in 2,000. An easy thing to do is a semen analysis. This will answer the question.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

It is possible for a vasectomy to fail, although this is incredibly rare. According to the American Urologic Association, only 1/2500 vasectomies do in fact spontaneously reverse and are not effective. The more likely reason for pregnancy to occur after a vasectomy is immediately following the procedure. It can take 2-3 months for all the sperm to clear after a vasectomy, and these residual sperm can survive for months. If someone doesn't use adequate alternative birth control during this window period, pregnancy can occur. It is for this reason that the standard of care is to obtain a post vasectomy semen analysis after either the 2-3 month mark or 20-25 ejaculations, whichever is a longer period of time. So, although it is unlikely for your husband's vasectomy to fail, I strongly recommend that he does follow up with a post-vasectomy semen analysis to confirm sterility.
Dr. Karen E. Boyle
Chesapeake Urology Associates

Published on Jul 11, 2012