For as long as anyone can remember, the responsibility for birth control has primarily fallen on women. Whether it involved taking pills, wearing a patch, using intrauterine devices, or abstaining from sex during ovulation periods, birth control was long considered a woman’s duty. Men, on the other hand, were typically responsible for providing and keeping condoms in their side drawers or wallets. However, male birth control options, from vasectomies to pills, are becoming more mainstream and popular—just in time for a shift in responsibility.
Recent reports from the American Academy of Urologists indicate that more single, childless men are opting for permanent sterilization to take control of their reproductive futures. For many of these men, finding doctors willing to perform the procedure without children or a marriage certificate has been challenging. Recently, however, urologists are starting to comply with the wishes of men who want to remain childless.
Just a decade ago, the choice to remain childless was often viewed as unnatural or odd. Today, with both men and women marrying later in life, pursuing financially stable careers, and engaging in a wide range of interests that parenthood might hinder, more adults are choosing not to have kids. Sociologists, statisticians, and psychologists have joined forces to form the Childless by Choice Project, which suggests that many people—62% of whom are men—have no real desire to become parents. Further research indicates that around 38% of men have children primarily to please their female partners, even if they themselves do not feel inclined to have kids.
In this context, male birth control makes sense. If women have the right to choose when and if they want children, then men should have that right as well. Although sterilization among men under 30 without children is still largely discouraged, it is happening. More recently, research has led to the development of a fully reversible male contraceptive.
This male birth control pill can be taken daily or worn as a patch. An injectable form is also in the works, designed to last for 12 months. Currently, the drug is being tested at the Population Center for Research in Reproduction at the University of Washington. It works by releasing testosterone in higher-than-normal amounts, much like how women’s birth control releases hormones to inhibit viable sperm production.
So far, the side effects of the male birth control pill have been minimal, comparable to those experienced by women using oral contraceptives.
Interestingly, while female oral contraceptives have been available since the 1960s, it is only this year that similar patented and researched testing has been applied to male contraceptives. If testing proceeds as planned, and no significant issues arise, the pill could be available on the U.S. market within 5 to 7 years, with gels and injectable medications potentially arriving even sooner.
Most men participating in the clinical trials for the drug are enthusiastic about it, and many men worldwide are excited about having this newfound freedom of choice. There are numerous stories of women taking advantage of men by lying about or neglecting to take birth control, contributing to nearly half of all pregnancies in the United States each year being unintended. Clinicians studying these new drugs have received significant support from the male population. In a survey on marketability, around 80% of men interviewed expressed no hesitation about taking the drug as long as it didn’t affect their sexual function.
A significant advantage of these male contraceptive pills is that they are not permanent fixes. For young men not in long-term committed relationships, this can alleviate concerns about unintended pregnancies from casual encounters. As time goes on, when they feel ready to settle down, discontinuing the medication would allow normal sperm production to resume. Importantly, while viable sperm production may be inhibited, men can still achieve ejaculation with the new medications.
Like female oral contraceptives, however, these medications will not protect against STDs, and condoms will continue to be the preferred method for preventing sexually transmitted infections.
Since women have been responsible for supplying birth control for over 40 years, shifting this responsibility may be a challenging transition. The products for male oral contraceptives are being developed in various formats, including patches, gels, and pills, providing diverse options. For example, the gels and injections last around 12 months, while the pill form must be taken daily to maintain effectiveness. For men who struggle with remembering tasks, the longer-lasting methods are certainly a plus.
Overall, the introduction of male birth control represents a win-win situation for all involved. It not only shares the responsibility of contraception between genders but also empowers men to take control of their reproductive futures. In a rapidly changing world, where concerns about bringing children into an unpredictable environment loom large, male birth control offers a valuable option for both couples and single men who wish to remain childless. Many women, while cautious about the efficacy of this new method, are also relieved to see men stepping up as active participants in contraception.
