Looks like something like 1-2% rate of hematoma and the same for PVPS when performed by experienced physicians.[0]
Edit: These are rates for minor complications. The incident rate for major ones requiring post-procedure interventions is 0.1%.
[0]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8255399/#sec-3t...
Unnecessary to be healthy, or unnecessary as in "something you do you should not" (say, like injections in the lips to make them bigger)?
Suppose this condition came about by a disease. Suppose transmission rates were 2%. Would you have unprotected sex with someone on a 2% chance of getting this condition? Assume that it was guaranteed the girl was otherwise without infection and not fertile.
What's the difference between a "minor complication" and a "major" one? Where does "life long pain and discomfort" fall? The word "requiring" seems a bit weasely (e.g. you could survive your life-long pain without surgery, so it's not required, therefor your complication is "minor" even though it significantly decreases your quality of life).
Unbelievable pushback about vasectomy value prop, here. It's a crazy common procedure. If rates of complications that mattered were high enough to matter, we'd all know about it via high rates of anecdata indicating the risk.
Why is 1% low when we're talking about lifelong pain?
To me it seems like whenever statistics get posted on HN the discussion is bound to devolve into pointless arguments. Statistics are crucial and necessary and we have to have hard data to support everything when said hard data supports MY positions, but when it supports YOURS it's obviously biased and incomplete and inaccurate and useless.
And I guess I should point out that I am in no way saying statistics shouldn't be used when making decisions. It's just that whenever I see them posted here, it means I'm not going to learn anything from that particular comment thread and it's time to move on to the next one.
It seems like an empty criticism to point out that someone's cited statistics agree with their argument.
Instead, either find a problem with the argument or find a problem with the statistics.
Furthermore, I made no claim that people ought to get vasectomies.
My intention was to counterbalance anecdotal fear mongering about a procedure that is well known to be safe and effective as form of birth control.