STUDIES ON VASECTOMY: III. Clinical Studies on the influence of vasectomy

Lee, Hee Yong; Lee, Hak Song

Abstract

About 60,000 men were undergone voluntary sterilization by the 497 designated doctors during the period from 1962 to October 1965 by the government subsidy program. Besides these numbers more than 15,000 private cases were sterilized by private doctors during the period from 1960 to 1964 in Korea. A general comprehension of the sterilization operation for motivation of customers was illustrated. An analysis of the social history and background of the sterilized men were made on the author's private group and the subsidized group. The most common occupation of the private group was commerce and that of the subsidized group was africulture. The duration intervening between marriage and sterilization indicated 13.6 years in the private group and 16.7 years in the subsidized group. An average age of the sterilized men showed 40 and that of their wives 35. An average number of children of the private group showed 4.7 while that of subsidized group indicated 5.3. Sexual drive following the sterilization was not changed in 81 per cent of the private group and in 71 per cent of the subsidized group. Decrease in sexual activity was revealed in 5 per cent of the private group but in 11 per cent of the subsidized group. General health after the sterilization was not changed in 83 per cent of the private group and in 70 per cent of the subsidized group. Decrease in general health was noted in only 6 per cent of the private group but in 11 per cent of the subsidized group. Frequency of sexual intercourse per week of the private group indicated 1.95 times preoperatively and 1.88 times postoperatively whereas that of the subsidized group revealed 2.27 times preoperatively but 1.99 times postoperatively. In regarding the sexual feeling of their wives, more than 87 per cent of the private group showed no change before and after the operation while 71 per cent of the wives of the subsidized group were not changed. Very few wives of the private group complained of some decrease, but 10 per cent of the subsidized group complained decrease. The time lost from work after the sterilization was about 2 days in the private group while about 8 days in the subsidized group. About 93 per cent of the private group were satisfied with the sterilization but 2 per cent of them did not feel happy after the operation. In the subsidized group 88 per cent were satisfied with the operation but 10 per cent were not satisfied. All of the private group and 80 per cent of the subsidized group would recommend the sterilization method to their friends. Untoward effects on sexual drive and general health are found to be higher in the subsidized group than in the private group. These outcomes are partly due to low edcation and low income of the subsidized group compared with the private group and partly due to unsatisfactory operative technique of the designated doctors. Psychological studies by means of MMPI conducted on 20 sterilization neurosis patients and the results were compared with the control nonvasectomized group. The sterilized group had definite psychological instability so that a preoperative psychological interview is found to invariably be necessary to prevent the sterilization neurosis. It is concluded by this preliminary clinical survey of the vasectomized cases through the author's private system and the government subsidy program that the few who told to decrease in sexual capacity and general health were outnumbered by those reporting an increase. The majority of the cases told of no change. The changes noted by a small proportion of patients appeared to be chiefly of psychological origin because there was no physiologic reason why the operation of vasectomy should causes sexual excess or decrease.