Are We Getting Any Closer to a Male Contraceptive Treatment?

For millions of women across the globe, popping a contraceptive pill is just another part of the daily routine. But what about if this all-important responsibility was passed on to men? According to a ground-breaking study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, the male contraceptive jab could soon be a very real solution. Researchers claim that the hormone-based injection is 96% effective at preventing pregnancies, and have already backed up their claims with clinical trials.

Preventing pregnancy through short-term infertility

So how does it work? Essentially, it the hormones drastically lower the sperm count which prevents female eggs from becoming fertilised. The scientists trialled the contraceptive jab on 274, aged between 18 to 45. All were in monogamous relationships with female partners, and were instructed not to use any other form of contraception. Over the course of a year all the men were given two progesterone injections, as well as a testosterone variant every eight weeks. The method had an almost flawless success rate, with all sperm counts dropping to a number that made them provisionally infertile. Of the 274 couples, only four fell pregnant during the study.  

The price of protection

Unsurprisingly, messing with the body’s hormones came at a cost. Researchers reported a handful of side effects, including acne, abrupt mood changes, increased sex drive and muscle pains. Gents may see these as a major turn-off, however the researchers were quick to point out that these types of side effects are already common in females using hormone-based contraceptives as a form of birth control.

Another more troubling side-effect is the fact that following the study, the sperm counts of eight of the men failed to return to normal after 12 months. The risk of long-term infertility is hugely undesirable for most men, and is not a risk associated with the female contraceptive pill.

The future of the fertility jab

Though despite the obstacles, co-author Mario Festin, a researcher at the World Health Organisation, was quick to confirm that more research is on the horizon.  

“More research is needed to advance this concept to the point that it can be made widely available to men as a method of contraception,” he commented in a recent statement. “Although the injections were effective in reducing the rate of pregnancy, the combination of hormones needs to be studied more to consider a good balance between efficacy and safety.”

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