It’s not a decision to be taken lightly, but at the grand old age of 29 Paul Pritchard took a big leap and underwent a vasectomy.

The Southampton man opted for the treatment with Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital in Chandler’s Ford after an acceptance he would never father his own biological offspring.

As part of Nuffield Hospital’s Men’s Health Month, Paul has spoken of his decision.

“I’ve never seen children as part of my life. I’ve just never wanted any,” he explained.

“I suffer from type one diabetes and depression and I know the horrible things I have gone through with both.

"I would never want anyone else to have to go through that themselves.

“Having a child seems incredibly selfish to me, when there is an increased risk of them also having those two debilitating conditions.”

Paul turned to the expertise of consultant Mark Harris at the Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital because of his reputation, and for convenience.

“Because of my age, I’ve not had a huge amount of support from my doctor in the past,” he adds.

“I was never referred onwards or been taken seriously. This time around it was different and my GP offered no resistance.

"I was very happy to finally get the surgery I’d been wanting for a long time.”

A vasectomy is a surgical procedure to stop the transfer of sperm during ejaculation. It is a simple, reliable method of contraception.

In some cases it is reversible, but you should really think of it as permanent option, say doctors.

“Having never felt a paternal instinct or inclination to have kids, any chance of me changing my mind later on is incredibly slim,” said Paul.

"I’d rather regret not having children than to have them and then regret it. If things change later on, I’ll adopt.

"I know there are many youngsters in the foster system who need a home.

“And I’m lucky my wife supports my decision. She’s also 29, but she understands the state of someone’s mental and physical health is crucial for being able to look after a child in the best way possible.

“And thankfully she doesn’t have a maternal instinct, so we’re very well matched.”

For many, the thought of ‘having the snip’ is off-putting but Paul wanted to reassure people that it’s not nearly as painful as it sounds.

“It’s really not a painful operation,” he said. “Yes, the sensation is very weird, since I’ve never actually had any surgery before in my life.

"But I had the op under local anaesthesia and my surgeon, Mr Harris, made me feel very comfortable in what he was doing.

“The day after, I started to ache a bit, but it was manageable just by taking over-the-counter paracetamol.”

Paul received support and encouragement from friends and relatives.

He added: “I think my parents were not as keen as me regarding the surgery. But they respect me enough to understand that this is my decision, and that I will never have children.

“My friends don’t really care because they are of the opinion that people should choose for themselves.

"Although most of them want to have kids, they don’t think of me as some evil child-hating monster.

“Are there any health benefits from having a vasectomy? Well put it this way, my stress levels will be significantly lower for the entirety of my life!”

To find out more about vasectomies and other men’s health procedures visit www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/wessex or call 023 80 98 2151.

For anyone considering a vasectomy, the potential side effects should be discussed with the consultant to ensure the patient is fully aware of any associated risks’.