It has been five decades since women were first presented with the option to control their ability to conceive with a small pill each day.
Even though the movement to supply the general public with this type of hormone therapy began years before, the “Pill” is now one of the easiest forms of contraceptives to attain. Some women even are able to use them to control their menstrual cycles, cramps, mood swings, and more.
By giving women this contraceptive method, much of the responsibility for avoiding pregnancy started to fall of women alone. According to the research that is being performed in the United Kingdom, it may soon be possible to offer the same type of pill to men as well.
Why Offer Birth Control Pills to Men
Most methods of avoiding pregnancy are up to a woman to pursue at this time. Whether she chooses to get an IUD or even a hormone shot, it is the woman who has to endure different changes to her body’s hormones.
In fact, recent studies in the last few months have shown that women who take the current birth control pills available are at a higher risk for depression. Other side effects include mood swings and weight gain, which doesn’t make any woman feel as if she is ready to partake in sexual intercourse.
Men are not offered hardly any methods of contraception on their part right now, other than getting a vasectomy or wearing a condom. A vasectomy requires a man to no longer be able to reproduce at all. Even though there is a fair success rate with reversing this surgery, there is a high chance that this method will leave a man with no ability to ever have children of his own.
As far as wearing a condom, most men complain that they are unable to feel the same sensations while their penis is protected by one. Additionally, when in a hurry, these protective accessories are rarely applied correctly, leading to a greater chance of pregnancy.
Men deserve to have just as much control over whether they want to get someone pregnant, as a woman has control over conceiving. The only methods they have right now involve never having kids again or losing the ability to enjoy sexual intercourse. Neither of those options will make most men satisfied.
How Might Male Birth Control Work?
According to the researchers that are presently attempting to create this pill, the compound they are testing is able to neutralize a protein in sperm that gives it the ability to “swim” in the woman’s body. Without this mobility, the sperm are left without any ability to fertilize the egg available to them. In fact, the lead researcher in this study, John Howl, PhD, a professor of molecular pharmacology, states that the sperm is immobilized within minutes of coming in contact with the compound.
Sperm is notoriously difficult to target with conventional drugs. That’s why this compound includes cell penetrating peptides (CPP), which have been found to be able to target certain areas on the sperm, rather than having to affect the entire body of it.
Other Research on Male Contraceptives
The U.K. is not the only place that the potential for a male birth control pill has been emphasized. In the United States, the Parsemus Foundation has created a product called Vasalgel. Vasalgel is an injection that would block seminal fluids from being expelled, but would still allow other fluids to pass through an invisible “block” in the penis. This product has clinical trials beginning in 2017.
In Japan, their formula features a similar protein blockage. However, the contraceptive pill they are developing would render a man temporarily impotent. The study has been performed on mice, but no update is available for the progress they’ve made in humans.
Potential Pricing and Insurance Coverage of a Male Birth Control Pill
The pill has not been developed yet, so there is no information on how the dosing would work, or the price you will have to pay. Additionally, while women’s contraceptives are often covered by medical insurance, due to the impact it can have on her overall wellness, that may not be the case with these pills.
Presently, there does not appear to be any impact on the rest of the body, which may make it difficult for companies to prove that it is medically necessary. As the formula makes additional advancements, it is possible that insurance companies can find a link between controlling the sperm and the rest of a man’s health.
Male Birth Control Review Summary
While there have been many strides in the medical community to make birth control an important priority for both sexes, the responsibility has often fallen on the woman to protect herself from pregnancy. However, by introducing a male birth control pill, men would not only have an equal responsibility, but they would have greater control over the outcome of their own reproductive system.
Even though there is no definitive release date from any company regarding their potential formulas, many doctors are confident that this type of treatment for men will soon be produced successfully.
