IMSS Expands No-Scalpel Vasectomy Nationwide

Mexico’s Social Security Institute (IMSS) is expanding access to no-scalpel vasectomy through intensified promotion and service delivery, positioning the procedure as a central option within its family planning strategy for men.

The no-scalpel vasectomy is a permanent contraceptive method that does not require hospitalization and is performed on an outpatient basis by trained specialists. According to IMSS data, 22,212 procedures were carried out in 2024, while more than 16,000 had already been performed in 2025 as of midyear.

Rubí Campa, Head of Family Medicine Services, Family Medicine Unit (UMF) No. 77, says the procedure typically takes about 15 minutes and has an effectiveness rate above 99%. Vasectomy is the most reliable method of male birth control, with pregnancy occurring in fewer than one in 1,000 cases during the first year of sexual activity after the procedure.

Campa says that only basic post-operative care is required, including rest during the first 24 hours, avoiding physical exertion, abstaining from sexual activity for seven days, and continuing to use a backup contraceptive method until medical clearance is granted.

Complications are rare and typically minor, such as temporary discomfort or hematoma. Long-term health risks — including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes, or cancer — have been repeatedly disproven.

UMF No. 77, located in Ecatepec in the State of Mexico, has served since 2019 as a National Training Center for No-Scalpel Vasectomy. The certification, granted by the National Center for Gender Equity, Sexual, and Reproductive Health (CNEGSSR), aims to standardize clinical knowledge and techniques through three- to four-day training sessions for healthcare professionals.

IMSS officials emphasized that the service is available to both insured and uninsured men. Campa encourages those interested in receiving information or undergoing the procedure to visit their nearest medical unit, including UMF No. 77, which continues to play a key role in training and service provision.

María de los Ángeles Machuca, Family Physician of the Family Planning Service, UMF No. 77, says the procedure is ambulatory and associated with minimal side effects. She adds that common misconceptions persist, including beliefs that the procedure affects sexual performance, libido, or the ability to experience orgasms, or that it causes cancer. None of these outcomes are associated with vasectomy, she adds.

Vasectomy remains the world’s most frequently performed male sterilization procedure, yet misconceptions persist. Jesús Rosas, Head of the Urology Service, Hospital General de México “Dr. Eduardo Liceaga, says that the surgery does not affect virility, erectile function, hormone levels, sexual performance, or libido. “The vasectomy only interrupts the passage of sperm. Ejaculation, desire, and sexual function remain intact,” he adds.

Health officials also highlighted that the method is promoted among men with an active sexual life who consider their paternity complete and wish to permanently limit fertility, reports Mayo Clinic. Following a vasectomy, the testicles still produce sperm, but the cells break down naturally and are reabsorbed by the body, just as it does with other cells that are routinely renewed.

Before the procedure, patients receive counseling on the surgical process, its benefits, and potential complications to ensure informed and documented consent.

IMSS provides no-scalpel vasectomy services free of charge at first- and second-level care units across all 32 federal entities. The institution has a national network of more than 300 physicians accredited in the technique, a measure intended to ensure consistent quality and patient safety.

During the 2025 National Father’s Day Campaign, vasectomies were performed at 214 medical units operated by the Administrative Operation Bodies (OOAD). These facilities were selected based on the availability of appropriate infrastructure and trained personnel to deliver permanent contraceptive services.