Contraception Use in Developed Nations (Source: UN Population Division 2003)

For years,the number of female-controlled birth control options skyrocketed, starting with drug trials for oral contraceptives beginning in the 1950s, and public availability of the Pill made possible during the early 1960s. By the mid-1960s, millions of women were using oral contraceptives. Planned Parenthood was establishing itself in a number of states, and women enjoyed a greater sense of control over their reproductive capabilities. Today, pharmaceutical innovation continues to allow for easier, more accessible birth control methods for women. Pills are available that can be taken monthly rather than daily. Patches and rings are also available, which can be applied to the skin or surgically implanted. Birth control options for women seem endless, but new advances on contraceptives for men are emerging, boasting great possibilities for the field of male reproductive health.

Pam Belluck for The New York Times writes, “Male contraceptives are attracting growing interest from scientists, who believe they hold promise for being safe, effective and, also important, reversible.” Increasingly, men are desiring more options than condoms or vasectomy, leaning more toward contraceptives in pill form, akin to those widely available for women. In the past, health professionals and researchers were unsure of male interest in contraceptives. But interested they are. Belluck writes, “Prompted by women’s organizations, global health groups and surveys indicating that men are receptive, federal agencies are financing research.”

The trajectory for male contraceptive research and development extends in a number of directions. Many different methods are currently being explored, in both animal and human trials, namely those that involve hormone use. The addition or removal of hormones in the body can interrupt or change biological pathways–in the case of men, causing the body to inhibit or cease sperm production–but questions about effectiveness and potential risks still remain.

Researchers at Columbia University, Harvard, and University of Washington (to name a few) are working on a variety of forms of contraceptives, including drugs that inhibit sperm maturation, disable calcium channels in sperm tails, or temporarily arrest sperm production. One form, Risug (“reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance”), “involves injecting gel into the scrotum to inactivate sperm.” While the latter might not be the most desirable option for men at the moment, the point remains that many avenues are being explored.

Risks do remain, however, and scientists are conscious of methods that might carry adverse side effects, such as those associated with oral contraceptives for women: stroke, blood clots, and heart attacks (fda.gov). Belluck writes, “Pharmaceutical companies have not yet embraced any method, waiting for something as effective as female methods and risk-free enough to give to healthy men.” Until then, we can continue to celebrate the many birth-control options widely available, and look forward to the further development of male contraceptive methods that will open more doors in the field of reproductive health for both men and women.

To read the original New York Times article, click here.