need advice on hernia op and infertility

[mayhill]

Hi ladies,

I need some advice and am hoping someone here can offer it or tell of their own experiences.

My DB and I are thinking about starting a family in the near future. However, he has recently had an inguinal hernia and now hydrocele (fluid in sack) from it. He has had multiple trips to the doctors about having it operated on even though the hernia has been pushed back up.

At first I was OK with it although after reading I have heard risks from the op include an accidental vasectomy - causing infertility.

I need advice - does DB not have the operation so we can try for a child, or will this lead to further issues if the hydrocele gets bigger????

DB also had retractile testicle when he was younger although it got sorted at young age and doc said it wouldn't affect fertility - but now I'm wondering whether to get fertility tests done as well.

I am in bits at the moment and we don't know what to do.. anything will be of help. xxx

 

[snowbee]

Hiya and welcome I've got a couple of positive stories for you to hopefully put your mind to rest a bit.

My oh had an undescended testicle as a child and had it operated on much later than recommended, they usually say as early as possible but his wasn't done until he was 8 or 9. All his sperm analysis have come back just fine though so it doesn't seem to have made a difference to his fertility.

Also one of my ex bfs had a varicocele (which I know is not the same as a hydrocele but the op has similar risks) which he had operated on while I was with him. We weren't ttc but he was offered sperm tests to check it hadn't had any effect of his fertility and he was also offered the chance to have some sperm frozen before having the op (which he didn't do as deemed the chances of infertility as a side effect to be quite slim). I know he has gone on to have at least one child (naturally) since, so the op was a success for him with no side effects.

Even if they did accidentally give him a vasectomy these can be reversed (although not 100% effective) or as long as he is producing sperm he could have it surgically removed and you could in theory still conceive in that way.

I think you need to go and see what the risks are with not having the op done compared with the risks of complications from the surgery and if there were problems ask them what your options for ttc would then be. Good luck.

 

[Mumzilla]

Hi, my DS had inguinal hernia as a baby and had it operated on when he was 5 months old. I can't remember anyone mentioning potential future infertility, although the risks from not having the surgery would have been far higher anyway. He is only 5 though so only time will tell. However, with inguinal hernia there is a risk of strangulation which is a medical emergency, and would need emergency surgery. IMO it's better to plan for an op than have emergency surgery with potentially no options. If your DB is worried he should talk to his doctor to get some reassurance and discuss what options there are, e.g. freezing sperms. Good luck x