The need for qualified professional counseling in cases of human sterilization is critical. Detailed information about vasectomies is provided and ways are suggested in which clinical social workers can integrate vasectomy counseling into their practice. Men who have had vasectomies generally report that physicians fail to give high priority to preoperative vasectomy counseling. The counseling given is usually in the form of basic information about the surgical procedure, frequently dispensed in a perfunctory manner. The most frequently asked questions about a vasectomy and its potential effects fall into 2 major categories: technical concerns such as how it is done, why, and when; and psychosocial concerns that deal with emotions, attitudes, and beliefs. These 2 categories represent a typology of knowledge about vasectomies that can be integrated into clinical social work. Some of the technical questions about vasectomy are outlined. The attempt is made in the remainder of the discussion to answer these questions as a 1st step in developing an appropriate knowledge base for vasectomy counseling. Additional information regarding vasectomies is presented to provide a holistic and comprehensive view of such counseling. The focus is on the surgical procedure, the psychosocial effects, cultural considerations, informed consent, and clinical practice. Clinical social workers should be involved in prevasectomy decision making and postoperative adjustment. They should have a fundamental knowledge about the medical dynamics of a vasectomy and a complete understanding of individual and family concerns as they relate to choosing vasectomy as a birth control method, and a thorough knowledge of the public's concerns regarding birth control. It is critically important for social work as a profession to become involved in counseling for this increasingly used fertility control method.