We look at the latest developments in the search for a male contraceptive.
By Dr Kathryn Basford
Year after year, newspaper stories suggest a ‘male pill’ is just around the corner. The concept suggests that the burden will no longer be on women to ensure there are no unwanted pregnancies within the couple. Instead, men will be able to take hormonal contraception in the same way women have done since the early 1960s.
But given that male contraception has been on the agenda for 50 years and still hasn’t progressed, is an effective male pill ever going to be developed? Dr Kathryn Basford from Zava explains everything you need to know about male contraceptives:
What progress is there with the male pill?
There is ongoing research into a male contraceptive pill, however this is unlikely to be an option in the near future. To be able to be an effective contraception for men, most research has looked at stopping healthy sperm from reaching an egg.
Men produce millions of sperm a day, and so stopping enough of these from working is very complex, and so far a lot of the developing options that involve male hormones have led to side-effects like low libido and erectile dysfunction. Some non-hormonal options are being researched which would expect to not have these side-effects, but these are still only in the very early stages.
What methods of contraception do men use at present?
At the moment the methods of contraception that men can use include condoms and vasectomy. Condoms are easy to use and effective when used perfectly and they also protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The current methods of contraception that men can use include condoms and vasectomy.
However as there are a number of ways that condoms can fail and typically they are only 82 per cent effective. A vasectomy is when the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles to the penis are tied or cut. This is a good option for men who do not want to have any children. Although in some cases it can be reversible, this is not always successful.
What other kinds of male contraception have been researched?
Other hormonal male contraception options that have been researched include injections and implants, but these also involve hormone treatments and so have been shown to have side-effects.
There is research going into devices that could be injected through the skin into the tube connecting the testicles to the penis. This would block the tube, so sperm couldn’t pass through. This research aims to create a safe, long-term but also reversible type of contraception for men.
Sexual health resources
For further advice and information on choosing the right contraceptive for you, try one of the following:
- Ask your GP for advice.
- Find a sexual health clinic near you.
- Find contraceptive services near you.
- Use the FPA my contraceptive tool.
- Call the National Sexual Health Line: 0300 123 7123.
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