Gel, pill, injection method, heated underwear… Initiatives to develop hormonal or thermal male contraception have been swarming for years. Which ones are available?
“To date, men have two methods of contraception: The preservative which also prevents the transmission of STIs and ligation of the vas deferens (vasectomy) which can be sterilization for contraceptive purposes”, specifies Professor Nisand, gynecologist-obstetrician. A third – which cannot really be described as a method of contraception – withdrawal, consists of withdrawing from your partner’s vagina before having ejaculated. There are other methods still being tested, such as the pill or heated pants, but none of them has yet resulted in sale. For what ? Are these methods effective? Existing methods in France and current knowledge.
Vasectomy
Vasectomy is an operation which involves cutting and block the vas deferens which carry sperm from the testicles. This is a definitive male sterilization method and therefore irreversible.
The preservative
Wearing a condom is also a method of contraception. It is a flexible covering which covers the penis and which is impermeable to blood as well as vaginal and penile secretions.
Withdrawal
Withdrawal – or coitus interruptus – is a “natural” method of contraception: the man withdraws from his partner’s vagina before ejaculation. This reduces the risk of pregnancy, but this is not a reliable method. Indeed, the pre-seminal fluid, which can reach the vagina without the man feeling it, contains enough sperm to fertilize the oocyte.
The pill for men: not yet available in France
The development of a male pill is based, like its female counterpart, on hormonal changes. This contraceptive would allow excess testosterone or progesterone to be distributed in the body in order to minimize the hormones produced by the pituitary gland (endocrine gland) and promoting spermatogenesis (sperm production process). “The pill for men still remains absent on the market since it presents, in particular, too many disadvantages from a scientific point of view. In fact, it is extremely difficult to block spermatogenesis, a phenomenon which is continuous, while Ovulation in women is monthly, predictable and easier to control., explains Professor Nisand. In fact, preventing a woman from ovulating is simple and in most cases, reversible. On the other hand, in humans, the process is more complex because the testes have a dual function: production of sperm and male hormones called “androgens”, responsible for virile characteristics. “Taking a male pill would also cause too many side effects for users, explains the gynecologist. These experimental male contraceptives have been shown to cause considerable weight gain, non-immediate effectiveness (contraception is only effective after 2 to 3 months), or repercussions on mood or libido…”
Vasalgel gel™
For the male contraceptive to be effective, it must stop the production of sex cells, but not those of male hormones. Although the development of hormonal contraception for men remains at the experimental stage, the pharmaceutical industry is working to develop substances that make sperm incapable of fertilizing the oocyte, or prevent sperm from completing their maturation. For example, the American NGO Parsemus Foundation is currently studying the effectiveness of Vasalgel™, a gel which is injected into the man’s penis, thus blocking the passage of sperm from the testicles to the ejaculatory canal.
A contraceptive nasal spray
At the same time, researchers at the University of Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom are working on a nasal spray preventing sperm from reaching the egg. Even if these initiatives remain promising, they are far from being perfectly mastered to be developed on a large scale.
Heated briefs
Thermal male contraception is a method which consists of slightly increasing the temperature of the testicles using suitable underwear (heated briefs) and reducing sperm production. It is currently in the testing phase.
What are the obstacles to male contraception?
Even if these contraceptive methods are commercialized in the future, “the barriers to male contraception are not only physiologicalbut also sociological“underlines Israel Nisand. “While some men would potentially be interested in these new means of contraception, their use would take time to become common practice. In my experience, most men do not yet say they are ready to take on contraception at the moment. breast of the couple” observes the expert.
Thanks to Professor Israel Nisand, gynecologist – obstetrician and elected President of the National College of French Gynecologists and Obstetricians (CNGOF).