Male Birth Control

[Jessica at Parenting.com]

Did anyone see this article -- The Long Wait for Male Birth Control (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1829107,00.html) -- in Time recently?

It's about how researchers are *this close* to having a hormonal male birth control method ready to go, but when it comes time to take it to market, the whole deal crumbles because drug companies just don't think they can sell it.

I'm a little surprised. I would think that guys would like the idea, given that their only reliable birth control choices right now are a condom or a vasectomy.

What do you think? Is the pharmaceutical industry reading it wrong? Would you or your significant other welcome the arrival of another birth control method on the market?

(I'm especially interested in what the men have to say about this one, so I'm posting a note in the Dad to Dad board, with a link to this thread.)

[firebabe]

i would love to see male birth control, but i have to agree with the drug companies. socitey as a whole views brith control as a woman's responsiblity

[ra11en]

I would think men would WANT a form of birth control that isn't as permanent as surgery (vasectomy) and more controllable than relying on a woman telling them they took their pill that day or that 'they can't get pregnant so don't worry'. Sure, condoms should be used even if a male birth control pill to prevent STD's, but when in a long term relationship sometimes condoms aren't used. I've read and heard horror stories of men being tricked into getting their sig other pregnant just to trap them (heard one one this board!) for whatever reasons. I would think men would WELCOME that control over their own destinies! Society views BC as a woman's responsibility because we are the ones that carry, birth, and primarily care for the child, but the role of the parent has been shifting to give men more responsibility in that area.

It is sad that with the medicinal knowledge available it still isn't being offered to the market because Big Drug Companies aren't sure they would make enough money. Yet, we have new pills being offered that end up killing people because not enough research was done before going to market - but BDC made their millions before the pills get pulled! That disgusts me.

[craftyashley]

I would really like my husband to go on it, just so he can see how hard it is to remember to take a pill every morning with children throwing breakfast around the kitchen. It would take the pressure off me to remember!

[APEMBERTON]

I Am With Ra11en I Believe Men Would Appreciate The Oppuritunity To Control That Part Of Life. I Know Society Views It That Women Are In Charge Of Bc But That Could Change. I Would Love For My Fiancee To Have To Take!! It Shouldn't Be All Put On Us If The Possibilty Is There For Them To Help!!

[skiddymo]

Well, as a man I can see why a lot of men would not want to take it because society says "that is a woman's job." I disagree with that thought tho. I would welcome it. Why should it be a man's job to bring a condom and a woman's job to take a pill or whatever (i.e. the new rings and other stuff)? I know people who have gotten pregnant with a condom or on the pill. If someone is not ready for a child but still wants to do grown up things than a pill would defintely help. I know that there are a lot of children that don't have fathers in there lifes because the father wasn't ready to have children (but somehow old enough to take off his pants). There is no need for children to grow up with one parent because someone is not ready to have children.

I will stop ranting now. I would be more than happy to take a pill if I knew I was not wanting a child.

[ProudParent940]

As a man, I must state that the idea of taking something that would make me infertile (Even temporarily) would be very emasculating. To have the power to reproduce taken away or even diminished is something I would never consider. Fears of possible permanent side effects would overcome me....What if I became infertile forever? What if it caused impotency or rendered me incapable of having an orgasm? The article stated that the drug in Phase III was testosterone implants and quarterly injections of progestin. We now know that prostate cancer thrives on testosterone, in fact, it can't live without it. Added testosterone can increase your risk. As for the progestin, that's basically a synthetic female hormone. I can't stand condoms but I would use them over this anytime. If I were a woman, I wouldn't use pills or shots either. The increased risk of cancer, risk of blood clotting, weight gain, emotional problems, etc. is too much.

As one member above mentioned, many men do secretly try to get women pregnant. Not just "to trap them." Many, especially in low income / low education demographics, try to get women pregnant as a way to brand them or 'tattoo their names to them', so to speak. I would not be surprised to learn that 90% of all "accidental" pregnancies are really on purpose. The 1993 film 'Mi vida loca' touches on the 'macho' mind set of young Hispanic male who purposely impregnate girls and disappear. To them, getting the girl in bed wasn't enough, to be macho meant getting them pregnant too. Men of all cultures have lots of tricks to get women pregnant, from breaking the condom just prior, to pretending to put it on or simply 'pulling out' half way into orgasm are just some of the tricks used. Imagine how many guys would claim to be one this birth control when they really weren't. Think of the STDs that would spread too. Think of the many men who didn't 'get' to have sex because they didn't have a condom. How many would have lied and said, 'I am on male birth control'. Yes, many men are pigs. It’s up to the woman alright, but not ‘who should use the birth control’, it’s up to the woman to say no to sex altogether.

I don't see this male birth control working at all except for the ones who are married and the only other option is a condom or vasectomy. Even then I would opt for a reversible vasectomy over drugs.

[newmommy010206]

As a man, I must state that the idea of taking something that would make me infertile (Even temporarily) would be very emasculating. To have the power to reproduce taken away or even diminished is something I would never consider. Fears of possible permanent side effects would overcome me....What if I became infertile forever? What if it caused impotency or rendered me incapable of having an orgasm? The article stated that the drug in Phase III was testosterone implants and quarterly injections of progestin. We now know that prostate cancer thrives on testosterone, in fact, it can't live without it. Added testosterone can increase your risk. As for the progestin, that's basically a synthetic female hormone. I can't stand condoms but I would use them over this anytime. If I were a woman, I wouldn't use pills or shots either. The increased risk of cancer, risk of blood clotting, weight gain, emotional problems, etc. is too much.

As one member above mentioned, many men do secretly try to get women pregnant. Not just "to trap them." Many, especially in low income / low education demographics, try to get women pregnant as a way to brand them or 'tattoo their names to them', so to speak. I would not be surprised to learn that 90% of all "accidental" pregnancies are really on purpose. The 1993 film 'Mi vida loca' touches on the 'macho' mind set of young Hispanic male who purposely impregnate girls and disappear. To them, getting the girl in bed wasn't enough, to be macho meant getting them pregnant too. Men of all cultures have lots of tricks to get women pregnant, from breaking the condom just prior, to pretending to put it on or simply 'pulling out' half way into orgasm are just some of the tricks used. Imagine how many guys would claim to be one this birth control when they really weren't. Think of the STDs that would spread too. Think of the many men who didn't 'get' to have sex because they didn't have a condom. How many would have lied and said, 'I am on male birth control'. Yes, many men are pigs. It’s up to the woman alright, but not ‘who should use the birth control’, it’s up to the woman to say no to sex altogether.

I don't see this male birth control working at all except for the ones who are married and the only other option is a condom or vasectomy. Even then I would opt for a reversible vasectomy over drugs.
Sigh, so it should only be the woman's job to take a pill even tho it is potentially dangerous? You know there are risks for women when taking b/c, we can be permanently infertile and have ovary cysts and a lot of horrible complications. I had a Blighted Ovum which I blame the birth control I was taking, and my husband and I both decided that we will no longer be using b/c pills. Thankfully my husband stepped up and said that when it comes to it and we are done having children he will have the surgery so I don't have to! I love him so much!

[ktejmommy]

I agree 100% newmommy! This topic really isn't an issue for my husband and I, I have a Mirena, I love it, it's all we'll probably ever have.

I think that beyond couples and relationships men and women alike need to take care of THEMSELVES as INDIVIDUALS. If you are a woman and don't want to get pregnant, take a pill, carry a condom, do something for yourself! If you're a man and don't want to get a girl pregnant, take a pill if there's ever one available, carry a condom, take care of yourself. If everyone looks out for themselves in this situation then nobody needs to worry about accidental pregnancies or getting tricked, be them women or men.

[ProudParent940]

Sigh, so it should only be the woman's job to take a pill even tho it is potentially dangerous? You know there are risks for women when taking b/c, we can be permanently infertile and have ovary cysts and a lot of horrible complications. I had a Blighted Ovum which I blame the birth control I was taking, and my husband and I both decided that we will no longer be using b/c pills. Thankfully my husband stepped up and said that when it comes to it and we are done having children he will have the surgery so I don't have to! I love him so much!

If you read my post again you will see that I wrote, "If I were a woman, I wouldn't use pills or shots either. The increased risk of cancer, risk of blood clotting, weight gain, emotional problems, etc. is too much."

We were married for 5 years before we decided to have a baby. Prior to that we didn't use protection. Maybe we are lucky or maybe I am very 'self aware' but I am not worried about an accidental pregnancy. Our baby is 8 months old. We will begin trying for another one this fall. Your husband sounds like a great guy who is very courageous. If we had concern over an accidental preganancy, like her getting to an age in which it would be dangerous and felt I wasn't 'in control' I would go ahead and have the surgery like my father did but currently, we do not have any concerns about that in either regard. That's just not something that has ever happened accidentally for me.

[cajuncat743]

OK so I asked my husband's opinion on this, expecting him to be all for it, right? He said he'd be afraid that the side effects would make him feminine, or that the side effects would do other things, so he woudn't take it. So I said what if hypothetically there were no side effects to this medicine, then would he take it? He hemmed and hawwed but finally admitted, no, even then he woudn't. The whole time we talked about it he looked really uncomfortable. So I'm sitting here thinking (I didn't say it, I'll bring it up later when he talks about it next) that he has been talking about me getting on birthcontrol soon! And I have horrible side effects when I'm on birthcontrol. My husband is normally very fair and not sexist, so I was pretty disappointed in him. But at least he was honest.

[relocatednyc]

I don't think he would. I also don't like the idea of taking birth control pills. I don't like the idea of putting chemicals in my body to regulate things, so as much as I can avoid it, I try to avoid it.
For this contraceptive in particular, I would be afraid of lasting effects or problems down the road. Men have so many worries about prostate cancer and testicular cancer, I just don't think I would want there to be a daily, or even monthly/annually intake of a chemical that is supposed to regulate his ability to conceive on a daily basis. With the amount of sperm produced in a single day, I just think that something capable of not making him fertile at all times would be something that I would be uncomfortable for him to be a guinea pig for.
We use condoms, every single time we have sex, and that works for us, but either way, I refuse to be on the pill, and I would expect no less from him.

[CLS]

Hmm...this is a very interesting topic. After my son was born I started taking the pill for the first time. I hate it. I used to be the type of person who was generally happy, and then a few days before Aunt Flow comes to visit, I'd get kind of sad and moody. On BC I'm even steven all the time. You'd think that would be nice, but really I miss that super happy feeling and even the sad feelings. I talked to my DH about this a few months ago, and he basically said too bad, and changed the subject. I was hoping he would volunteer to use condoms or even say he'd be willing to get a vasectomy when we're sure we're done having kids. But he didn't. Then last month I got strep throat and had to be on anti-biotics for 10 days. The package said to use back up birth control since it can mess with the pill. So we used condoms. DH hated it. Blah blah...doesn't feel as good...blah blah blah. Urgh. Men. So, now I'm thinking about checking into non-hormonal bc. Has anyone tried the IUD that is copper based? What about non-hormonal pill?