Ever since its creation, the concept of birth control has been widely considered a woman’s responsibility.
There is a variety of different female-exclusive options available, including “The Pill,” “The Patch,” “The Shot,” and “The Ring,” to name a few. But with all of these choices offered for women, many have started to wonder why the same selection doesn’t exist for men. Researchers are now trying to address this concern.
Previously, the only options for male birth control were the use of condoms, vasectomy, and of course, abstinence. However, recent studies have begun with the hopes of developing a hormonal contraceptive for men.
Researchers are examining the possibility of male birth control in the form of a pill or injection, similar to some of the methods currently available for women. The goal of the treatment would be for the drug to temporarily lower the concentration of sperm in men, thus making it more difficult for fertilization to occur.
Trials of the drug have proved to be somewhat effective. According to “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism”, about 95 percent of participants in a recent study of 320 males displayed suppressed sperm concentration after being administered injections of the drug every eight weeks. The study also showed that the effects of the drug were reversible, meaning that the change in sperm count would not be permanent.
However, the trial also revealed that the current method would come with its fair share of side effects, the most common of which included acne, injection site pain, change in libido, and mood disorders. Some of the trial’s participants ended up dropping out when the effects of the drug became too severe. As a result, the study was eventually cut short. Some people have expressed discontent over the notion that these side effects should halt the use and development of the drug. As stated in an NPR article, “The side effects they saw in this study were not that different from those you see with other kinds of birth control”, with the exception of a few cases of severe emotional problems. Still, female birth control options often result in many of the same symptoms, and sometimes more including headaches, cramps, and achiness.
So why does the development of male birth control seem to be a more complicated and lengthy process than that of female birth control? Some believe that it is due to the biology involved. NPR refers to it as a ‘numbers game’, stating, “Women produce one egg a month, while men are producing millions of sperm constantly. With women, you can take advantage of their normal monthly cycle with the birth control pill. There’s nothing equivalent to that in men.”
Regardless, it may only be a matter of a couple years before we see male contraceptives released to the public, according to ScienceAlert. Researchers seem to agree that more studies should be done before the product becomes widespread, but male contraceptives are definitely an area that should be scientifically explored.
It looks like we will have to wait a bit longer until the male contraceptive becomes a commonplace concept. But until then, continue to act safely and responsibly with the methods currently available.