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in collaboration with
Dr Odile Bagot (Gynecologist-obstetrician)
From tutorial to discussion, thermal contraception which aims to reduce the production of spermatozoa thanks to heat, finds its place in men who wish to share this burden with their partner. But is this a recommended method?
Contraception is not just a women’s story. And the male voices taking on a vasectomy, for example, are starting to make themselves heard. The goal ? Sharing contraception so as not to put everything on the shoulders of Madame, who often has to resort to hormones to avoid pregnancy. But another male contraception seems to be emerging on the internet, sometimes in ‘homemade’ tutorials which consist of heating (slightly, don’t worry…) the testicles to stop the production of spermatozoa. What is this method really worth?
An increase of 2 degrees is enough
The first heated “underpants” were thus designed in the 1980s by an andrologist from the Toulouse University Hospital. The concept is simple and hormone-free: spermatogenesis (that is to say: the production of spermatozoa) requires a temperature below 37°C. This explains why the purses are located outside the body. By increasing their temperature, the production of sperm stops. Fortunately, the process is reversible.
Technically, the slip is designed with a ring that goes up the penis and the testicles towards the body to benefit from its heat. Some brief or ring prototypes are sold commercially, but there are also many Internet users who tell how to create their own solution. To know all the same: to be effective, the device must be worn at least 15 hours a day and for 3 months…
Should we recommend heated briefs?
Consulted on the subject, Dr. Odile Bagot, gynecologist on our committee of experts is not against this natural and hormone-free method, but has a reservation on her recommendation:
“The simple ring, or slip, which raises the testicles towards the abdomen to increase the temperature of the purses works, because we know that beyond a certain temperature, sperm production stops. These are studies in progress. However, it is a method that acts after about 70 days (the life time of spermatozoa) and the man must check the effectiveness via a spermogram before use and after 70 days. But there is still a regulatory problem that has not yet been done. And approval today requires 500,000 euros. In this context, we cannot yet officially recommend it” says the doctor.
Consequently, the heated underpants do not benefit from any reimbursement by Social Security… For the moment.