‘Snip’ boosts sex for women but not men

MEN may worry about the risk of pain, and, in some cases, fear impotence as a result of having ‘the snip’, but new research shows that vasectomies improve women’s sex lives.

Results from the first study to examine women’s experiences before and after their partners had the operation show that sexual desire and arousal, and overall satisfaction, all increased for women – but levels of satisfaction went down for men.

Removal of the fear of pregnancy means that women can enjoy their sexual activity with fewer pressures, say the researchers.

It is estimated that 100 million men worldwide have had a vasectomy, which has a success rate estimated to be greater than 99 per cent, with very few minor complications, although psychological or sexual problems have been seen in up to three per cent of men.

In the new study, couples were followed through the vasectomy procedure and satisfaction scores before and after were calculated and compared. Couples who took part in the study, reported in the Journal Of Sexual Medicine, had an average age of 38, had two children and had been married for at least 12 months.

They had sex 8.8 times a month on average, and before the vasectomy the most common contraceptive method used was oral pills followed by condoms and intrauterine devices.