Developing A Male Birth Control Option

Wednesday, May 06 2009

For nearly 50 years, contraception has been available to women in pill form.  Additionally, over the last 40 years, several additional contraceptive options have become available to women, such as the birth control patch, vaginal rings, intrauterine devices, and injections.

The latex condom remains the only available birth control method for men.  However, that may change in the near future.

Researchers in China have been testing a potential injectable contraception for men.   The new study, being published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, involved injecting more than 1,000 healthy, fertile men with 500mg of a testosterone undecanoate and tea seed oil formula.  The results of the study showed the injection to be effective, with pregnancy only occurring from 1 in 100 of these men.

While the initial study shows effective contraception without serious short-term side effects, additional testing in necessary to determine the long-term safety of this potential male contraception.

Some are skeptical though about using testosterone injections for male contraception.  Other clinical trials have produced less promising results.  Further, some studies have shown that these injections have absolutely no impact on 10% to 15% of men.  Addressing negative physical implications, a former president of the American Urological Association says that these types of hormone injections can lead to sterility and scarring of the testes.

While marketing studies show that many men are interested in additional contraception options, pharmaceutical companies have shown little interest in male contraception.  Male contraceptives are inherently trickier to create because they have to block millions of sperm, unlike female contraceptives that only deal with a single egg.  A larger reason for the lack of pharmaceutical company interest, though, is their view that more money can be made from female contraceptives.

Unfortunately for now, men will just have to deal with the hassle and reduced pleasure of the condom. 
 

Jason McClellan

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About The Author -
Jason McClellan is a professional health writer who specializes in sexual health and men's health.
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