Contraceptives

With a flash of his magic wand your male partner could soon banish the fall out from low dose birth control pills for ever!

Mood swings, irritability, weight gain et al may soon be the archived side effects for women if your male partner is the sensitive, macho type who could handle 15 mins. of scrotum exposure, a teeny weeny invasion of his private parts and a band aid down below. Of course, the issue of ‘trusting men with the responsibility for birth control’ is a whole different ball game (sorry!) and not for today’s post but it’s good to know the latest ‘foreplay’ on this controversial subject.

RISUG (”Reversible Inhibition of Sperm Under Guidance”) is getting close to being made available to men outside India where it has been trialled for 15 years. The RISUG injection method into a man’s vas deferens (sperm tube) was invented by Prof. Sujoy K. Guha but the Male Contraception Information Project has purchased rights to begin studying RISUG in the U.S. and developing it for the rest of the world. 2015 may see RISUG marketed to US men as a far less invasive option to vasectomy. Issues with the syringe design slowed down the project somewhat but in May 2011 these were resolved. A potential manufacturer has been selected and clinical trials beginning in 2012 will develop the ‘VASALGEL ‘ birth control method for men. Funding for the $5million project however, needs to be kept up - MCIP are encouraging people to sign a petition to encourage large funders to financially back the project through to the end.

VASALGEL/RISUG procedure : imagine making a teeny, weeny hole in a Lilliputian’s bean bag through which is pulled a little loop of ‘spaghetti’. Into that little thread of spaghetti 60mg of polymer gel is injected, the loop is then released whereupon it snaps back inside the weeny bean bag before a little band aid is applied over the almost invisible hole. There you have it -VASALGEL or  from our viewpoint- “low dose birth control side effects begone!”

For additional excellent and fascinating, detailed information on the current stages of play with RISUG development GO HERE. The petition form is also there if you wish to sign it and for the bravehearts amongst you can even watch a video of the procedure.

Effectiveness of Vasalgel The gel doesn’t need to block the sperm tube (vas deferens) fully because the active ingredient it contains kills the merry swimmers as they pass by. A minimum of 7 years of contraception is achieved for guys after only 15 mins. in the hands of a skilled doctor - the procedure is reversible at any time with no discovered ill effects or damage to future sperm. There is only a 10 day ‘condom backup’ period after the procedure as compared with up to 3 months for a vasectomy. With vasectomy some men report prostate issues but to date no similar reports have been logged with RISUG. The fact that the gel does not completely block the sperm tube works in its favour since no ruptures or ‘backup’ of sperm occurs.

WomenCare Global- Once Vasalgel has been proved to be safe and effective, it is hoped that the project will be turned over to a nonprofit organisation called WomenCare Global which specialises in supporting the completion of reproductive health products and then getting them onto the market.　

My last statement on my previous post was “I am not aware of any proven, reliable herbal form of birth control“- this was true for women’s birth control but when it comes to male birth control in Indonesia it is a different bunch of leaves.

Male birth control pill available next year in Indonesia? Not so far away from my desk here in Oz, a 6ft tall leafy shrub called Gandarusa is growing in a forest on the eastern coast of Java. Gandarusa, used by the Indonesians as an herbal remedy for stress, has been found to also reduce fertility in men. Testing Gandarusa specifically for use in male birth control has been carried out at Airlangga University since 1987. With a 100% success rate to date, trials on 350 couples are expected to be completed by the end of this year which means 2012 could be the year that the ‘long laboured’ male birth control pill will be ‘born’, in Indonesia anyway.

How does Gandarusa work?

It changes the chemistry of the enzyme on tip of each sperm making them unable to pierce the outer wall of the egg- if the enzyme is inactive or reduces the activity, the egg cannot be fertilized.Don’t get too excited about Gandalusa being available in the states yet though. The FDA’s strict testing process could take years. The risk will be yours remember if you fancy a quick holiday in Indonesia to shop for Christmas stocking fillers!

Are there any side effects? - as I understand it, the good news for the guys is:

• few side effects, if any, reported
• no diminished libido reported – in fact quite the opposite with one guy!
• no altering of male hormones – wouldn’t ya know it?
• contraceptive effect is not permanent - fertility is reversed within 2 months after stopping the daily pill

The fact that this method is not permanent and possibly will not harm the body, should meet with the approval of the Islamic leaders but the age old question still remains-

Will men use it?  In Indonesia (?) most men think contraception is a woman’s responsibility (currently only condoms and vasectomy are used) fewer than 2% of men participate in birth control. Even if the male birth control was to be available to the world tomorrow, it still begs the question - how do we ‘sell’ a male birth control pill?

I’ll post a free copy of my book ‘Happy Vaginas for the Over 40s’ to the person who sends in the funniest ‘ad script’ for the male birth control pill to this post by Christmas!

While guys and their ‘contraception careers’ are the flavour of the posts this week, I’ll bring you up to date on the current RISUG state of play in my next post.

“CatSper “ and nanoparticles could be the vital link in the development of a new contraceptive gel or birth control pill - for women AND MEN.

What is CatSper? CatSper, discovered and named by David Clapham, a researcher at the Boston Children’s Hospital, is the key element in sperm that influences its swimming capacity.  Researchers in Germany and the US have discovered that progesterone around an egg seems to activate ‘CatSper’ or in other words, turbocharge sperm to give them that extra little swimming boost once they get close to an egg. With their ‘motor’ severely disabled, the sperm would lose the energy to make that last minute dash to the finishing line.

 With the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funding David’s research team, there is an 18 month window to develop a prototype drug which will block CatSper (‘disable’ the little motor in the sperm’s tail so to speak) at the time of sexual activity. With the aid of nanotechnology, we could then see the birth of a completely NEW type of contraceptive.“Sperm are the only cells known to make CatSper, so such a drug is unlikely to have many side effects. It would also, presumably, work regardless of whether it is men or women who take it because it could act on sperm regardless of their location”, says Polina Lishko,  a reproductive biologist at the University of California, San Francisco.

What’s nanotechnology got to do with it? I’ll explain this as simply as I can. Nanoparticles would be used to carry the CatSper blocking‘drug’ to ‘bomb’ the sperm. The nanoparticles would also be coated with specific antibodies which are ‘sperm seeking’ so the drug would be released only on reaching the ‘target’ (the sperm) and would not be left in any mucus or on the wall of the vagina. “Twenty million of these missiles (sperm) are released at once, and you have to get all of them before they make it to the target (egg),” says Clapham….“(CatSper) It’s an anti-missile device that doesn’t cause any collateral damage.” 

If Clapham and his team successfully develop a blocking compound, a trial with animals is likely which could then lead to a new contraceptive gel or oral birth control pill for men or women. Hands up if you’d vote for the bombs to be dropped BEFORE the missiles leave the factory! To avoid or reduce the cocktail of synthetic hormones currently found in low dose birth control pills has to be a step in the right direction. As to the lack of ‘collateral damage’ anticipated with this new form of birth control, well, any synthetic/chemical substance which is absorbed into the body has the potential to cause side effects so let’s keep the jury out on this one until the proof is in the nano pudding.

References: Strünker, T. et al. Nature 471, 382-386 (2011).Lishko, P. V., Botchkina, I. L. & Kirichock, Y. Nature 471, 387-391 (2011).

But first- it’s all about profits right?

It’s what women want and it’s becoming more and more what men want too- another method of male birth control and preferably one that does not involve hormones. This method must be affordable by the majority, highly effective, convenient, reversible and free from side effects.

Enormous strides have been made in medical research and more than one solution is well within our abilities right now yet it becomes a tall order when we all know that whatever gets over the finishing line first will only do so if it makes millions for the manufacturer.  Ah, there’s the rub. What profiteth a company to gain huge benefits for its consumers yet suffer great losses from its own coffers? Unless governments step in or non profit agencies come to the contraception party, future R & D for many potentially successful new male birth control methods could drop off the vine.  Let’s face it, a long acting, low cost male birth control method would reduce profits and risk the loss of profits from women’s birth control methods too.

So which non hormonal method of male birth control is the ‘favourite’ to make it over the finishing line?

Move over male hormone injection and remote controlled valve (described in previous posts) hello RISUG, which stands for “Reversible Inhibition of Sperm Under Guidance”. This RISUG method of male birth control involves the injection of a polymer gel into the vas deferens (tube that carries sperm) No cutting is needed and there are no hormones in the gel. The gel coats the inner walls of the vas deferens, solidifies in minutes and kills unsuspecting passing sperm, thereby making this method of male birth control effective almost at once (unlike a vasectomy that can take up to 3 months). The gel also partially blocks the tube but if months or years later fertility needs to be restored, another injection flushes it out, making this method also easily and quickly reversible.

How long will the contraceptive effect last?

A standard dose will be effective for up to 7years. The reversal procedure can be performed at any time- even within days after the injection. Any ‘minority’ sperm that make it through the vas deferens will be too sluggish to reach and fertilise an egg!This RISUG method has been on trial in men (India) for over a decade now and while this method of male birth control looks likely to be the ‘favourite’ so far, much still remains to be done to pass all the regulations for US and European approval- and of course secure funds for further development.

How many methods of male birth control have emerged over the years?

You may be suprised to learn that there are at least 8! Vasectomy, condom, injection, remote controlled valve for vas deferens and RISUG are 5 of them but others include the IVD (shug), ultrasound and heat method (the mind boggles). Withdrawal does not count as it has a high failure rate of 27%!

FRONTIERS IN NONHORMONAL MALE CONTRACEPTION is easy to read and has further information on all 8 methods of male birth control. Enjoy!

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.

This is a quick, lighthearted post about condom fashion- I’m pushing the ‘condom consciousness’ at this time of year for obvious ‘party’ reasons.  Take a look at these wonderful creations from the 4th China Reproductive Health New Technologies & Products Expo in Beijing last year.

CONDOMS RULE, OK?  Don’t leave home without them.

Today something more lighthearted (and ‘good on you’ Barack Obama, we look forward to your support on the contraception front!)

Most of you know that safer sex involves the use of a male condom, whether or not the female partner uses low dose birth control or not. Condoms act as barrier to sexually transmitted diseases but in many countries are not popular for a variety of reasons.

In trying to encourage the use of the condom, here are a few novel ideas launched by condom companies and non profit organizations that will make you smile. I found these little gems in the CCMC PUSH Journal Source: CNN News, collated by Meghan Holohan.

1. Condom Trees for Australia - Got to start with this one first! On my home patch, here in Oz, I think this is a great idea, I just hope that the literally ‘perishing’ sun factor has been catered for! Western Australia has the highest rate of HIV on the continent. Young people hang out under trees in the countryside and the clever public health nurses, in their efforts to distribute condoms, decided to hang condom filled cannisters in the branches. Grabbing a condom was then made easy and private- each month over 3,000 condoms are taken.

Another initiative saw Aborigine teenagers encouraged to sell condoms and keep 50% of the proceeds. Cases of STDs have been reduced even though the number of sexual partners may not have.

2. National Condom Ringtone for India - Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have donated money for a ringtone to be composed by Acapella singers singing ‘Condom, condom’ in the vein of the pop song,’Barbara Ann’. More than 60,000 people have downloaded the ring tone since August. Would you be comfortable enough to use it or do you still have issues around condoms? In India, the condom is associated with prostitutes so a stigma is attached to using them.

3. Coffee Condoms for Ethiopia - if you hate the smell of latex maybe coffee flavoured condoms will appeal? DKT International, a United Sates nonprofit, created dark brown condoms that reportedly smell like a macchiato (Ethiopia’s favourite coffee) Since the Ethiopians claim to have invented coffee, the coffee condom bolsters their national identity. Not sure if the other flavoured condoms by DKT International would appeal in Oz though - sweet corn (for China) and Durian (for Indonesia) I’m not a fan of Durian myself so I think I’ll pass.

4. Spray On Condoms - “Having trouble finding a condom to fit sir? Just slide yourself into this cylinder, press the button and The Jolly Joe will fix you up nicely”. The 3 minutes it takes for the latex to dry was definitely NOT a benefit of this German’s solution to the snug and natural look! Poor Jan Vinzenz Krause, he’s still waiting for a latex that dries in 5 secs.

With the party season fast approaching it may be an idea to stock up on your supply of condoms and think about a few ‘novel’ Christmas presents.  I’ll scout around for some ideas and include them in my upcoming posts, in the meantime, below is a link to some bargains on the net for condoms as prices will be going up in 2009 and condoms have a shelf life of 3 years if stored properly. I think you can save up to 70% on this particular site.

Undercover Condoms Sales - Click here to view this month’s sale items including Condoms, Lubricants, and more!!

Female condoms (femidoms) are not quite as effective as male ones but if you are allergic to latex they do offer some protection against STIs- watch this video to the end to see how to use one.

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.

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