Birth Control Pill for Men Soon a Reality

Birth control in the past consisted of the "pill" for women and the use of a condom for men. There are other methods, but none as easy or as popular as the pill or condoms. According to plannedparenthood.org, the female contraceptive pill is more than 99% effective in preventing pregnancy if taken properly. However, even when used with a condom, it is still not 100% effective in preventing pregnancy.

Israel

An Israeli biochemist by the name of Haim Breitbart has been testing a new form of birth control for men. Promising animal tests have been used for determining the effectiveness of Dr. Breitbart pill, and according to Israel21c.org, the pill has maintained 100% effectiveness in temporarily sterilizing the male.

What is the male birth control pill?

The male birth control pill is derived from a natural hormone in the male body that regulates sperm production. It stops sperm production for one to three months depending on the levels of hormones in the pill. The pill would be taken once per month for the low hormone level or once every three months for the higher hormone dosage. The pill stops sperm production and stops protein synthesis in sperm, which means they cannot survive in the uterus long enough for pregnancy to occur.

Side effects

In Haim Breitbart's study, there has been no adverse response to the pill. The mice that were tested showed the same level of sexual behavior and no noticeable difference in attitude or daily routines. This is promising because the female birth control pill can affect all women differently, sometimes good and bad, states plannedparenthood.org.

Benefits

The benefits of the male contraceptive pill are that men can now have safe sex with a long-term partner that is free of disease without the use of a condom, no worrying about unexpected pregnancy and the female partner no longer needs to be on the pill to prevent pregnancy. The male pill is not taken every day, which greatly reduces the likelihood of a mistake associated with a missed pill. The greatest achievement of the male birth control pill is that men can control when they want children without relying on condom use of female birth control.

Is the pill market ready?

Unfortunately, the male contraceptive pill is not currently on the open market and may not be there for another 5 to 10 years. Before the male pill is available to the mass market it must be tested in clinical trials with human test subjects for safety and effectiveness.

Sources:

http://www.israel21c.org/201006238085/health/a-birth-control-pill-for-men

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/birth-control-pill-4228.htm

http://genesdev.cshlp.org/content/20/4/411.abstract?sid=cb71212a-9ba9-4fee-b6f6-d71e404dcfad