Vasectomy

[still_trying94]

Not sure how often people look in "Off Topic", but I'm having a struggle besides the one with porn. I'm scheduled to have a vasectomy April 8. Two weeks away. My wife & I have 3 great kids. We have decided that we don't want anymore children. We really don't want to have an "accident" so I stepped up and said I'd get a vasectomy.

I know there are some religious people on this board. I'm Catholic. What are some other peoples' views on vasectomy? The Catholic church is against it. They refer to it as mutilation. Now, I'm not a perfect Catholic. I've had premarital sex, my wife & I use birth control, etc. I'm struggling with this vasectomy though. I'm going to willingly alter my body to take away the ability to create life that God gave me.

If I back out, my wife will get her tubes tied. She's not Catholic and has no moral problem with any of this. I was going to do the vasectomy because its less invasive than what my wife would have to go through. I don't know what to do. We don't want anymore kids. We would continue with birth control either way. If I get the vasectomy, my wife will also be able to stop taking the birth control and putting hormones and drugs and whatever else into her body every month.

What do you all think?

[Phil413]

I'm scheduled to have a vasectomy April 8. . . . If I back out, my wife will get her tubes tied. . . . What do you all think?

You already know that it's morally wrong to get a vasectomy, so for that reason I think you should not get one. Likewise, you know that it would be morally wrong for your wife to have her tubes tied. Even if she doesn't know this, you do.

There are other, non-surgical, non-contraceptive ways to avoid pregnancy, ways that are morally acceptable. Have you looked into NFP?

Phil

[vintageturtle]

I think if you're not 100% sure, you shouldn't go ahead with it. You can always do it later if you change your mind, but undoing it isn't so easy.

We have somewhat of a similar dilemma. We're probably close to done having kids. Our church doesn't teach against birth control the way the Catholic church does, but we are told to research everything and make prayerful decisions, and we are, if not commanded, then at least strongly encouraged to have as many children as our physical and emotional health and finances will allow. Surgical sterilization, however, is strongly recommended against, and you're supposed to consult with a priesthood leader before going ahead with it. It is supposed to be reserved for instances where pregnancy would be dangerous. Anyway, I have a couple of health complications that have arisen from the multiple pregnancies. They aren't terrible, but more pregnancies will make them worse. One can be corrected through surgery, but only if I won't be pregnant again. So, I kind of feel like I can make an argument for surgical sterilization. But I also kind of feel like it's just an excuse.

I don't know if any of that helps shed any light on your own situation or not. Bottom line for me, though, is that I'm not going ahead with anything if I'm not 100% sure. When my H first told me about his PA and other acting out, I planned to make an appointment for a tubal ligation. I'm glad I waited. So, I would recommend a waiting period on any surgery.