How will I know if my vasectomy has worked? About 12 weeks after the procedure, you'll need to produce a sample of semen, which will be tested for sperm. Once tests have confirmed that your semen is sperm-free, the vasectomy is considered successful and you can stop using additional contraception.

How do I know if my vasectomy worked?

Doctors can confirm that a vasectomy worked by analyzing a man's semen for a period of time after the vasectomy to check for the presence of sperm. It can take up to three months or longer for semen to be completely sperm-free.

How often does a vasectomy fail?

Only one to two in 1,000 men have a vasectomy that fails. This usually happens in the first year following the procedure. While failures are very rare, I have seen them happen.