Health

Birth Control for Men - Will the Monthly Injection Catch On?

by Mary Richard | May 6, 2009 at 05:29 am

1482 views | 56 Recommendations | 6 comments

Researchers in China have now come up with a male birth control that's just as effective as the birth control pill.

Once a month, men can go to their doctor's office and get jabbed in the buttocks, and voila ... they're good to go.

Do you think it can catch on?

In testing in China, only one man in 100 fathered a child while on the injections, the study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism reports.
The contraceptive is a form of testosterone that is injected into the buttocks once a month. It works by temporarily blocking sperm production.

If all further testing is successful, the product should be on the market within the next five years.

"For couples who cannot, or prefer not to use only female-oriented contraception, options have been limited to vasectomy, condom and withdrawal," said Dr. Yi-Qun Gu, of the National Research Institute for Family Planning in Beijing, China.
"Our study shows a male hormonal contraceptive regimen may be a potential, novel and workable alternative."

Gu says while the results of this trial are encouraging, more long-term testing needs to be done on the safety of the regimen, with a focus on cardiovascular, prostate and behavioral safety.

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Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 07:43 on May 6th, 2009

I think, I.d want to know what the side effects are first. :)

Amy Judd

at 09:40 on May 6th, 2009

I'm sorry, but just speaking from past experience, I wouldn't trust a man to be as diligent about this as a woman - sorry, no offense to any men here.. :)

Donnie Anderson (not verified)

at 13:57 on May 6th, 2009

I like this idea, I just hope it is not as phyiscally damaging as the pill.

Barbara McPherson

at 18:10 on May 6th, 2009

If the injection is a form of testosterone, wouldn't that shut down the man's ability to produce it. Anabolic steroids are testosterone mimics and their side effects are well documented.

Uwe Paschen

at 19:10 on May 6th, 2009

I am totally against any form of birth control using hormones and chemicals, those just end up in our environment and mess up the eco system, we fund many species being affect negatively by the Pill and now we want to put more hormones into the system. No, surgery would be the only acceptable way, at least for the environment.

Vanessa S (not verified)

at 17:01 on June 7th, 2009

I do understand the camp who are against hormonal birth control options; however, men only have the vasectomy available (aside from condoms), and that's not always a reversible method. Women have copper IUDs available, which are clearly non-hormonal and reversible, but men have nothing like that. So in the meantime, I am all for this once-monthly injectable method for guys.