Contraceptive Types Honestly Reviewed, contraceptive pill contents and contraceptive side effects simply explained to help you to decide which is best for you.
Women’s contraceptive pills use chemical signals in our bodies to block ovulation so how are things going with the development of a male contraceptive to block sperm production, will it be in the form of a pair of sperm suppressing knickers, (now they really would be magic!) an implant, injection or a contraceptive pill?
It looks like it’s going to be a while yet before further options are added to what is currently a very short list of options for male contraceptives ( condoms and vasectomy) but the GOOD NEWS is that male hormonal birth control methods appear to have lower risks of side effects than female methods. Oh, I do hope so for the sake of those little lab mice! Read this latest news article about how men can be turned on and off, literally, in the reproductive basement.
A man’s pituitary gland produces the chemicals that signal sperm and testosterone production to commence in the testes. Men do not produce female progestin so a male hormonal contraceptive would have to consist of testosterone, along with the female hormone progestin. Once in the bloodstream, these hormones would tell the pituitary that the testes already had done their job, so the pituitary would not produce the signals.
Switching off the signal is likened to a thermostat switching off an air conditioner according to Ronald Swerdloff, head of the endocrinology department at the University of California, Los Angeles, Harbor Medical Center. You may be surprised to read in this article that in one survey of 9,000 men, more than half said they would use male birth control. They have never struggled and sweated themselves into a pair of magic knickers though have they girls, so it’s my bet that the pill will get the vote!
A remote controlled contraceptive for guys- could this be the ultimate ‘boy’s toy’?
You can stop holding your breath for the male contraceptive pill or putting out for your man to choose a vasectomy (my ex did bless him, or I may have ended up with 4 to bring up alone!) Living in Melbourne, I have to say “Go the Aussies!” for this radio controlled device that, wait for it, controls the flow of sperm from your lover’s testicles to his penis. All design components have been finished and lab tests with pressurized water are the next step. Live pigs and sheep watch out- you’re next.
New Scientist has just released information about a male contraceptive implant that is being developed at Adelaide University, Australia. The device is an open/close micro valve that is placed inside the vas deferens ( tube leading from the testicles that is the sperm ‘highway’ to the penis) When closed, the valve blocks off the sperm and only allows those little swimmers to resume their merry way again when it is opened by a radio controlled switch. Whatever next!?
Vasectomies are usual permanent and often irreversible ( a physician can use a needle to remove sperm from the testicles and then perform in vitro fertilization) but this little sweetie looks like being much more user friendly, with high hopes of easier and more successful reversal. The valve will only be offered to men who are considering a vasectomy anyway, as there are still fears that over time, proteins could clog the device closed and cause permanent infertility. After initial insertion there will be a ‘cooling off’ period when the procedure can easily be reversed so this will give peace of mind to those who may later decide they want more children after all.
New Scientist states, ‘The silicone-polymer valve can be flipped between open and closed positions with a pulse of radio waves. A set of conducting “fingers” on the valve act as antennae and convert the signal’s energy into sound waves that travel through the polymer and create stresses inside the device.’ Team leader Said Al-Sarawi explains,”Since it is flexible, the polymer either contracts or expands as a result, and this movement allows the valve to be opened or closed as needed”.
“It will be like turning a TV on and off with a remote control,” added team founder Derek Abbott, “except that the remote will probably be locked away in your local doctor’s office to safeguard against accidental pregnancy or potential misuse of the device.” In case you’re wondering if the device can be turned on accidentally- NO because it works in a similar way to a car’s remote key-fob. Each valve responds only to a radio-frequency signal with its own unique code.
How is the male contraceptive implant inserted? No open surgery is needed but the needle squeamish guys out there will have to look away as the hypodermic snugly ‘push fits’ the little micro valve into position. Is another male contraceptive needed as well? You betcha, unless you are with one ‘clean’ partner- use a condom if you wish to avoid catching an STD.
I do hope they give the implant a nice name, if a dog is currently ‘man’s best friend’ he may soon find himself with a rival.
Filed under: Male Contraceptives — admin at 6:26 pm on Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Continuing the series on ‘How to use’ different types of contraceptives, today is the guy’s turn and we’ll start with an obvious one, the condom. You may think that there is not much to learn about condoms, girls, - you wish ‘he’ would use one without being reminded, you know what they are for, that they are easily available, that you can blow them up like balloons and that if they tear or slip off, oops- your health and entire future could be affected! OK but there’s a lot more to condoms than this.
Do you know?
which type of condom to use if your partner is allergic to latex
which condom is best-one with/without a nipple at the end
is it OK to use petroleum jelly as a lubricant with latex condoms
that your wallet is NOT a good place to carry condoms
Sexually Active Guys and Gals should carry condoms - if they are used correctly, one of the most important things about condoms is that they provide good protection against STD’s. I know you’ve heard it all before but it IS important for you to talk to your partner and have a birth control PLAN, which may mean using more than one type of contraceptive. Agreeing to a contraceptive solution that is workable for both of you will enrich those spontaneous moments and reduce the worry of ‘catching something’!
There is a short video in the videos category on this site too, on how to a put a condom on but first, here is the link to some clear instructions and dias. on How To Use a Condom and please read the warnings on this site about using Nonoxynol-9 as a lubricant with condoms or other contraceptives.
I think the best and most reliable site for more information and for buying condoms and other ‘goodies’ on line is Condom Man
Do you know how long sperm can survive in fertile cervical fluid?
I know this site is about reviews of contraceptives BUT knowledge about the whole process is power, right? Even when you are trying to STOP those eager little beavers from getting to that egg of yours, the more you know about the habits of ‘the enemy’ the better to foil them, right?
I found this information (in quotes) at a good site for women who want to conceive and while www.fertilityfriend.com is not supplying information for prevention of pregnancy, the facts are empowering to us all, especially when read before watching the video on this site about ‘How you get Pregnant”.
“The longest that sperm can survive in fertile (eggwhite) cervical fluid is five days. All pregnancies can be attributed to intercourse that takes place within the five days before ovulation and the day of ovulation.
Sperm, however, do not typically survive for five days, even in fertile cervical fluid. A life span of 2-3 days is much more typical for sperm, even in fertile cervical fluid- less if there is no fertile cervical fluid.”
In a normal menstrual cycle
“Cervical fluid is produced by your cervix as you approach ovulation due to increased estrogen. It flows from the cervix into the vagina where it can easily be observed. Your cervical fluid changes throughout your cycle, increasing in quantity and becoming more clear and stretchy as you get closer to ovulation. Noticing and recording these changes will help you better time intercourse and recognize your own fertility pattern.
In the most common pattern, cervical fluid starts out dry after your period and then gets sticky, then creamy, then wet and watery, becoming most like eggwhite as you get closer to ovulation. You may get different types of cervical fluid on the same day.”
Hopefully this will help you to understand why oral contraceptives are effective in slowing down sperm -they THICKEN this cervical fluid, the sperm take longer to swim through this ‘glue’, few make it through to reach the egg or die of exhaustion in the process!
OK- Now you know all this- make sure you have ‘back up’ from this guy too.
If you have multiple sexual partners don’t let them give you the gift of syphilis for Christmas! Unless you are absolutely certain of your partner’s medical history in this area , you should always insist on the use of condoms, even though an oral contraceptive or other method of birth control may be used as well.
A condom is the safest way of protecting yourself against sexually transmitted diseases so….. watch the little ‘cucumber’ video below( especially if sex is relatively new to you)
“Oh, Come on!” ” I can hear you say but please indulge me, better safe than sorry and it will give you a giggle (AND ease my conscience that I have left no rubber ‘unrolled’ in simplifying the useful information I promised to deliver on this site).
By the way, if you had any ‘accidents’ or unfortunate experiences with condoms that could serve as a warning to others, please feel free to leave a comment- but keep it ‘clean’. I think the best and most reliable (pardon the pun) site for buying condoms and other ‘goodies’ on line is this one.
If research funds hold out and we can hold our breath for another 4 or 5 years, two types of oral contraceptive pill for men and a sperm blocker may be coming our way. In America, approximately one third of the responsibility for contraception is taken by men using condoms or having vasectomies. For this figure to grow, other non-permanent methods of acceptable and safe birth control for use by males will have to be developed.
We have been told for years now that a male contraceptive will be on the market ’soon’. When one finally DOES appear on the market, there could be mixed reactions from women, not least issues of trust and maybe handing back the ‘power of control’ over when to conceive. You will still need a good supply of anti STD devices though so stock up here at a reliable site- they have other ‘goodies’ too. Will women rely solely on her male partner to take responsibility for birth control (as HE will not be the one physically going through an unplanned pregnancy) or will she take extra precautions ‘just in case’?
“Some men are quite desperate for better control over their fertility,” said Kirsten Thompson, director of the International Male Contraception Coalition. “They’re looking for something they can really count on.” So are we gentlemen!
Two conferences on the “Future of Male Contraception” have been held so far in Seattle (sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, World Health Organization and others) and a number of possibilities for new male contraceptive options look like being viable, including, wait for it guys, a device for blocking sperm that is inserted into the vas deferens (is that a cringe I feel?).
The vas deferens is the ’sperm tube’ that is cut in a vasectomy (my ex had this done and if one sits on an ice bag immediately after the op it keeps the bruising down and recovery is quite quick)
The sperm blocker device currently being developed, is comprised of a set of removable plugs that have so far been tested on 90 men. The results of the plug insertion trial show “substantial equivalence to traditional vasectomy methods”. However, more research is now required to find out if normal fertility returns after the devices have been removed.
Could this be the makings of a new catchphrase ladies? “Show me your scars honey!”
The Oral Contraceptive Pill for women uses synthetic female hormones- a ‘testosterone-like’ pill for men that uses a drug called “selective androgen receptor modulator,” or SARM is presently being tested on humans for treating osteoporosis and muscle wasting, this drug, when taken orally, has also been found to reduce sperm count in rabbits.
A team @ Pittsburgh University has found that a non- hormonal compound known as CDB-4022 stops monkey sperm from swimming to their destination and importantly, within 16 weeks of stopping treatment, normal fertility returned. The chief factor of safety in the administration of this drug still needs to be tested though.
A new survey by the International Male Contraception Coalition found 61 percent of men would pick a non-hormonal drug over other contraceptive choices. I wonder if they asked these men if they were comfortable with us women taking a hormonal contraceptive pill?
If the latest studies are to be believed, more men are becoming interested in taking more responsibility for birth control. While it is doubtful that we shall reach a point where ALL men see that this responsibility should be shared equally with women, surely it is healthy and mature to keep abreast of the latest developments so that we are all in a better position (no pun intended) to discuss the type of contraceptive ‘arrangement’ that is win/win for both partners and successful family planning for the future?
Adjudin and the ‘dry orgasm’ pill for men (no ejaculate produced) may eventually be developed with very minor side effects.
To see the reactions of 10 men when asked about taking a male contraceptive pill watch this 2 min. video
If the video does not appear in 10 seconds CLICK HERE
