Sharing the burden: A guide to male contraceptives

Ask any woman. Men have it easy. No childbirth, no periods, no mood swings. None of the many complications women face day in, day out. All that men are responsible for is keeping themselves clean. Sorry lads, but some of you can’t even manage that.

Contraception has always been something left to the ladies. Apart from buying condoms, guys have thus far taken a back seat. Lads might buy them, but you can bet your Durex Extra Safe that it’s the girl that insists on their use. Things could be about to change. The male contraceptive pill is on its way.

Picture it. It’s date number three and things are going well. Back to his apartment, one thing leads to another and he whispers to you: “It’s ok love, we don’t need one. I’m on the Pill.” Cue the best “AS IF” face you’ve ever seen. Not only does the woman in this situation worry that she’s dating a pathological liar, but the man realises the pill he’s been taking daily has been made redundant by modern man’s worst enemy, the condom.

Australian studies currently underway are testing the success of a hormone injection, which tricks the male brain into halting sperm production. In the future, this injection could be marketed as a by-monthly injection or a daily pill. Research at Prince Henry’s Institute in Melbourne began in February this year and will include over 400 willing participants from around the world as they trial the male contraceptive. I still have my reservations.

Just look at what the proposed new male Pill does: it suppresses one of the hormones in the brain in order to stop sperm production. Albeit temporary, I can’t imagine a huge amount of men would want their precious “seed” to be suppressed. I won’t even go into the fact that some tests have shown it can also shrink the prostate. Two of man’s greatest fears: having no sperm and having a tiny penis. Pharmacists, you needn’t worry. I can’t imagine queues out the door if this pill comes on the Irish market.

Meghan Doherty from the Irish Family Planning Association says that while men will initially have reservations about the potential risks of the male Pill, they will hopefully take on board the many advantages it gives.

She says: “Hopefully men will want to get involved with contraception and take some responsibility. There is definitely room for improvement in that area though. Culturally the way gender divisions are in Ireland, contraception is left to women usually. Before any male contraception comes out, education should start on the topic first.”

Let’s cut the lads some slack here. Your options are: the necessary evils that are condoms, the laughable non-option: the vasectomy or, curse the very thought, abstinence. And we’re no Einsteins, but you and I both know the Church’s own “Rhythm Method” is less than appealing as a way to stop the stork arriving.

So what else can guys really do? Apart from condoms, the only other way a man can directly contribute to avoiding unwanted pregnancy is by having a vasectomy. There are testicles all over DCU running for cover at the very mention of that word. Is there even a point discussing the plausibility of abstinence? Thought not.

Maybe men would welcome the use of a contraceptive. After all, men should have a say and a portion of the control as to whether or not they become fathers. Is it naïve to suggest that men might want to take some responsibility?

For more information on the male contraceptive, visit www.newmalecontraception.org or alternatively www.malecontraceptives.org.

Vox Pops: “Would you use the male pill?”

Simon Hageman EE1:

“I don’t think I would. I wouldn’t trust it, there’s always going to be that little bit of doubt.”

Keith Anderson BME1:

“I don’t think it’s a good idea at all. If you hadn’t had the pill or the injection you wouldn’t be able to have spontaneous sex. I wouldn’t trust it.”

Dave Burson EE1:

“I think it’d depend on the price. Three months worth of condoms is a lot. If there were side effects though I might not.”

James Ward JR3:

“The only contraception I’d use is the condom. You never know what you’d catch if you didn’t.”

Oliver Connaty CA1:

“I don’t see the point if it doesn’t protect you from STIs. Condoms protect you from them and from getting someone knocked up as well.”

Mark Byrne MINT2:

“Yeah, I would. It’d save money on condoms and save the girl having to go on the pill. If I had a girlfriend I would.”