A common fear before getting a vasectomy is: “Will my semen look or feel different afterward?” The short answer is no. Vasectomy does not significantly change ejaculate volume. Here’s what the science says.

What Makes Up Semen?

Semen is a mix of fluids from several glands in the male reproductive system. The breakdown looks like this:

  • Seminal vesicles: ~65-70% (fructose-rich fluid that provides energy for sperm)
  • Prostate gland: ~25-30% (enzymes and fluids that support sperm motility)
  • Bulbourethral (Cowper’s) glands: small amounts of lubricating fluid
  • Sperm from the testes: only about 2-5% of semen volume

Since sperm are a very small fraction, removing them by cutting the vas deferens has little effect on the overall volume.

Scientific Evidence

  • American Urological Association (AUA): Vasectomy has “no noticeable effect on the amount of semen.”
  • World Health Organization (WHO): Studies show post-vasectomy ejaculate volume is essentially unchanged, aside from the absence of sperm.
  • Journal of Urology (2017): Men reported no visible difference in semen appearance or quantity after vasectomy.
  • European Association of Urology: Confirms that semen volume and orgasmic function are unaffected by the procedure.

In other words: men still ejaculate the same way, with the same look and feel of semen.

What About Sensation?

Because semen volume is nearly identical, there’s no effect on orgasm or the physical “release” sensation. Most studies even show sexual satisfaction improves after vasectomy, since couples no longer worry about unintended pregnancy.

Rare Exceptions

A small number of men (<1-2%) report a perceived decrease in semen volume. This is usually due to:

  • Normal variation in ejaculation volume (hydration, frequency, and age can all influence semen volume).
  • Psychological factors (expecting a change makes men notice differences that aren’t clinically significant).
  • Unrelated conditions (like prostatitis or hormonal issues, not caused by vasectomy).

Scientific evidence confirms that these cases are not caused by the vasectomy itself.

Final Thoughts

Vasectomy does not change ejaculate volume in any significant way. The glands that make semen continue working exactly as before only the sperm are missing, and they made up a tiny fraction to begin with. Your orgasms, sexual function, and semen volume remain the same.

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