When birth control pills came out in the 1960s, they were revolutionary. Now, researchers seem to be on the cusp of something similarly profoundly game-changing - hormonal contraception for men.
Sixty couples in Manchester and 20 in Edinburgh are currently participating in a year-long trial, which is part of a larger worldwide study. The trial involves the men making a trip to their GP every two months to receive contraceptive injections.
The injection currently being trialled is a mix of testosterone and a version of the female sex hormone progesterone and essentially works by tricking the brain into shutting off sperm production. So far, it has proven effective in 99 percent of cases.
And while the injection - as well as other options like pills, implants and patches - for men are likely still a good five years from hitting the market, for the first time, they appear well within reach.
As with female birth control, doctors say hormonal contraception for men will have no lasting effects on fertility, and that sperm counts should return to normal quite quickly once a man goes off the injections. Some men may experience mild side effects from the jabs such as hot flashes, mood swings or acne.
“When we carried out surveys of women, they were enormously enthusiastic,” said University of Edinburgh Professor Richard Anderson, who is heading one of the trials. “The single most common reason was that they wanted to share the responsibility for contraception.”
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