Do men really know what new male birth control will be and that it may mean taking birth control pills?
The Safety Factor
The main concern for the scientists, pharmaceutical companies and the men themselves is just how safe is it to take these pills?
The human trial of the first birth control pills for men lasted twenty-eight days. None of the men had to or wanted to drop out because of side effects.
The Side Effects
The side effects were considered minimal.
According to an article in Eurkea Alert some of the side effects that a few of the participants experienced were fatigue, acne or headaches. Five out of the group had a slight decrease in sex drive while two had to deal with erectile dysfunction.
The Drug
The drug is modified testosterone that is a combination of androgen and progesterone.
The drug is formally called 11-beta-methyl-19-notestosterone dodecylcarbonate (11-beta-MNTDC). Findings of the study showed that two hormones needed for sperm production had a significant drop in those who were given the pills. Also, it was noted that these effects could be reversed when the treatment was stopped.
The Catch
It takes 60 to 90 days to alter the production of the sperm. So a 28 day treatment would not be effective.
Further studies need to be conducted that will also involve couples that are sexually active.
How Receptive Are Men To Male Birth Control?
The 40 men who participated in the study for this new pill may have been receptive, but what about the rest of the male population?
According to a survey done in 2005 involving 9,000 men, 55% of them were willing to try male contraceptives. Only if they were reversible.
Other Alternatives
This new study released of the human trial for male birth control is not the only method being tested.
- A gel that would be applied daily is being tested.
- A pill called DMAU
- An injection of DMAU
- A Non Surgical Vasectomy
To date none of these methods have been released for public use, and they are each dealing with challenges that may need to be overcome.
The Controversy
There are some for it and some against it
There are a lot of mixed emotions when it comes to male birth control.
Some surveys say men are for it. Others indicated men are just not interested. Some men are fearful that it will affect their libido or cause them to gain weight. Then there are some women who are against it believing this is a woman’s thing. A lot of pharmaceutical companies are reluctant to conduct research because there is not enough male interest.
A Mock Trial
Some may have been attracted to a YouTube headline “Men Take Birth Control Pills for a Month”.
This was two years ago and not related to the recent testing of this new pill.
Buzzfeed Women Put Male Co-Workers To The Test
The women challenged the men to take a trial of twenty one days of being on the pill.
The women were super excited but the men went “missing in action”. None of them were ready to take on the challenge although the majority thought birth control for women was great.
TicTac Simulates the Pill
Of course the men could not be put at risk taking the female birth control pills. So a simulation was done with tic-tacs. Some of the male co-workers finally agreed
The Objective
No physicial side effects but what about the emotional ones? Rules were set as to how they had to get the pills and how they had to take them, The rules really simulated what a woman goes through with her birth control efforts.
The Results
The men were not going to experience potential physical side effects but they sure did feel the emotional ones.
By Day Four
The grumbing begins
Several of the guys were discovering that birth control for women is not a walk in the park. Some left their pills in the car. Others thought they had lost them. Some had to turn back to home because they forgot their pill. And the list goes on.
Feeling Like A Woman
This mock experience brought the men closer to feeling like a woman at least when it comes to being on birth control.
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