MT. VERNON, IL — According to the Cleveland Clinic, approximately 500,000 men in the United States get vasectomies each year, and a large percentage of them get scheduled for March. The reason? Basketball. The NCAA’s college finest are ranked, bracketed, and give their best to see who will be the champion. With almost 70 games to be played in the tournament, there is a lot of basketball to watch.

Most men need a few days to rest and recover after a vasectomy, making March the perfect time to recover while watching the games. Dr. Adit Shah, a Urologist with Crossroads Community Hospital’s Specialty Clinic, says the vasectomy procedure itself only takes 15-20 minutes and can be done under local anesthesia as an outpatient procedure.

Besides abstinence, a vasectomy procedure is more effective at preventing pregnancies than any other form of birth control. However, Dr. Shah says it’s always a good idea to talk this decision over with your partner as well as your healthcare provider to decide what is best for you and your family.