My boyfriend had a vasectomy. Should I still use birth control?

If my boyfriend had a vasectomy, do I still need to use birth control? How long after a vasectomy can I stop birth control?
 

If it’s been at least two months since your boyfriend had a vasectomy and his doctor has made sure that the vasectomy worked, you don’t need to use birth control to prevent pregnancy.

Here's how it works: While a vasectomy is one of the best and most effective permanent birth control methods out there (almost 100%), it doesn't start working right away — it takes about two months for the semen to stop containing sperm. So months after the vasectomy, your boyfriend will have to have a test called a “semen analysis” to make sure that his semen doesn’t have sperm that could cause pregnancy.

If you don’t want to become pregnant, use birth control until your boyfriend’s doctor says it's safe to have unprotected sex. And vasectomy doesn’t protect you from sexually transmitted infections, so if you’re worried about STDs, practice safer sex.

Learn more about vasectomy. And remember that your nearest Planned Parenthood health center can answer all of your birth control questions and help you find the method that’s right for you.