Contraceptives

Is it a pill, is it a plug, is it an injection?

Which new type of male contraceptive looks like becoming a ‘goer’ within a few years?   The latest trials being done in Sydney, of a testosterone and projestin injection for men, may result in more than a few female heroines expecting their male heroes to rescue them from hormonal hassle when it comes to taking responsibility for birth control.

The trials, conducted by the ANZAC Research Institute in Australia, hope to prove the twice monthly injection 95% effective as a method of male birth control- with full impregnating ability restored 3 months after stopping the injections. The funding for the trials has come from an American reproductive health and HIV prevention agency (CONRAD) that has been working on this for more than 15 years.  Once this second phase of testing is successfully completed it will further strengthen CONRAD’s ‘proof of principle study’, published in 2003, which revived interest from major multinational pharmaceutical companies in developing a reversible, effective, male hormonal contraceptive for the market.

How does it work?

I’m still trying to find out exactly what quantities of hormones make up each shot, hopefully the doses will be as low as they are in the low dose birth control pills for women. Basically though, the hormonal mix of testosterone and progestin tricks the male brain into believing that sufficient sperm has already been produced. Since sperm is the vital male ingredient needed to make babies- voila! Ovulate without fear girls or will it be asking TOO much of us to believe him when he says he’s infertile?

What about STIs?

Will it trick the STI villains from wreaking havoc on both of you? ‘Fraid not, you’ll both need to keep up the condom supply and get regular checks.

I can hear you chanting ’side effects, what about the side effects?’ - this new male method of birth control will banish yours, yeay but what about his?  It’s good news apparently. After some of us have coped with bloating, mood swings,  loss of sex drive and risk of blood clots throughout our birth control trials, it seems, according to lead researcher, Rob McLachlan, this shot of hormones into the male metabolism shouldn’t change his sex life at all because the “level of testosterone in the blood remains the same.” Not sure I fully understand that one if you ‘re adding more testosterone to what’s already there but as to other possible side effects well, we really will have to wait and see, I’ve heard that acne may be one of the nasties for some men.   True heroes won’t let a little moodiness, bloating or risk of blood clotting put them off though will they?

If you’re relishing the day when the only contraceptive side effect you’ll have to worry about is RSI from rolling on a condom, then maybe it’s not a bad thing to have a few ‘deep and meaningfuls’ about both your birth control ‘careers’? Be kind and understanding though, if the day comes when he mumbles, “Not tonight sweetie- I have a headache”.

Which NEW non hormonal contraceptive for men  might just beat the ’shot’ over the line? Find out in my next post.