Male Contraception Soon a Reality
Researchers now say that a safe and effective male contraceptive could be available in the next 3-5 years. Options that may soon arrive in the market include a pill to be taken orally, a patch or gel applied to the skin, and an injection given every three months.
What’s that we hear? A chorus of hallelujahs spreading through the iVillage boards?
Many iVillagers, like member sandybryant, say it's about time there was a male option for birth control: “A male birth control method that is more effective than condoms, and less permanent than a vasectomy is LONG overdue. [Men should be able to] take more proactive measures to prevent unwanted pregnancies.” Member cl-clabk agrees, adding that it presents more options to both single men and women: “This will have a big impact on the younger generation. I hear so many women say that they don’t use condoms because their partners don’t like them. This would be an alternative to the condom for contraception purposes, but still put some responsibility on the man instead of only on the woman.”
Even our iVillage guy members, such as martinisnsushi, say they would love the option of a male contraceptive: “Had such a thing been available when I was single, I would have been all over it, as would most of my friends. We all knew horror stories about casual relationships unexpectedly requiring the marriage/abortion/paternity suit/fatherhood decision, and would have loved to have been one step closer to avoiding that in case she forgot to take her pill, had a complication, or the condom broke.”
There's a strong consensus among married couples as well. Member tina_n_madison says that with a male birth control pill, husbands will be finally able to "do their part": “Men should be able to protect themselves and not have to rely on the woman. I don't want to take a pill everyday. I went through two pregnancies, all the doctors visits, 2 C-sections, and the recovery. It's time my husband took care of the prevention part.”
But can women really trust their partners to take a birth control pill regularly?
Members, like apaprikao, think their husbands' “forgetfulness” can be a problem: “Personally I wouldn't be able to trust my husband to remember to take it every day. I still have to remind him to take his vitamin, take out the overflowing trash can, and fold the overwhelming pile of dirty laundry.” Member danid also questions men’s commitment to taking on such a responsibility, especially because they’re not the ones who actually get pregnant: “The real test will be to see how many men will take the initiative to (1) make and keep the regular doctor’s appointments in order to get the contraceptive (2) keep the medication refilled and paid for and (3) live with any negative side effects that occur. We'll have to see who the real men are when/if this type of product become available."
Members also foresee other problems with male birth control. Says martinsushi: “The one thing I would worry about is the possibility that people would forget about STDs and forego condoms for casual sex.”
Have your say. What do you think about a male contraceptive? Would your partner use it?
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I think it stupid to think that men are too "forgetful" to take a pill everyday!
How sexist and outdated can you get??
Seriously!!
i agree that it is sexist to think that men are too forgetful to take the pill. I think they deserve a little bit more credit than they are getting. I would love to not carry the sole responsibility when it comes to preventative measures in regards to pregnany. I think its about time that men are given the option aswell.
it may be sexist, but my husband takes antidepressants and on numerous occasions has forgotten due to the stress of getting to work etc.. He's even tried taking them at night and will end up falling asleep on the couch and missing a pill. It's not sexist, just looking ahead to reality. DO I want to get pregnant because he fell asleep on the couch or rushed out the door to work? No.
Well, what that particular woman was saying was about her OWN husband being forgetful. It's a YMMV thing. If her husband was forgetful, then she'll choose not to have her husband take sole responsibility! She wants to be careful and certain!
Working girl, are you married? just checking, it sounds like your outrage is out of hope, not experience?
Its about time they came up with the pill for men especially for those who are allergic to paying child support. Would I trust a man to take it on a daily basis HELL NO. Although it is a fantastic idea. What took them so long.
I would trust my partner to take it, BUT if I was single and I met a guy I wouldn't trust him if he said "It's okay, I'm on the pill"...RIGHT, put on a condom anyway.
I think that BC for guys would be wonderful, especially if it's as reliable as the female version when taken correctly. I know of too many women who have "forgotten" their pill and ended up with unplanned pregnancy. So, I don't think that men forgetting is a valid concern, since so many women have proven to have that exact problem. Condoms while still a decent option just aren't as effective against pregnancy and are lacking for many in the sensation department. I think that it would cut down the unplanned pregnancy rate significantly.
i think it's good that guys have the option to protect themselves if they want. a lot of people are saying they wouldn't trust a guy if he said he was on it, but you wouldn't want your partner to distrust when you say that you're on the pill now. and if it's that big of a worry, maybe have him take his pill at a time where you two are together every day so you know he is taking it. there are ways of making sure, especially if you are living with the person or see them every day.
I think this is a GREAT option and I look forward to when it is actually available. My fiance and I will only be about 26 when we have had our second (and presumably last) child, but neither of us feel so great about him getting a vasectomy or me getting my tubes tied at such a young age, just in case we decide to have a third child later. Of course vasectomies are reversible, but it is a long and expensive process. Our first child who we are expecting in December was conceived when I was on the pill and had taken every single one, so this could be a great opportunity for very fertile couples to "double up" on methods withut having to resort to condoms. As for men supposedly not being able to remember to take a pill once a day, that's just ridiculous! My fiance has a better memory about those kinds of things than I do. If women don't expect their partner to be responsible enough to take one pill a day, they probably won't be...and vice-versa. A self-fulfilling prophecy going either way.
No I'm not married because I refuse to take part in marriage until EVERYONE in this country has the right to do so!
However I have been in a committed relationship for the last seven years and my man is NOT too "stupid or forgetfull" to remember taking a pill everyday!!
He remembers to take a vitamin everyday so why would a pill be so hard
AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF FORGETFULL WOMEN TOO
How many times do women get pregnant because THEY didnt take their birth control correctly??
Since the pill (male or female) DOES NOT protect against STD's you should be wearing a condom with any random partner ANYWAY !!
Brittany wrote "I would trust my partner to take it, BUT if I was single and I met a guy I wouldn't trust him if he said "It's okay, I'm on the pill"...RIGHT, put on a condom anyway."
wow, some people here need a pill themselves (the relaxing kind). not everyone (men and women) are forgetful just as not everyone (men and women) can remember to take a pill every day. so if someone says her husband will probably not be able to take a pill every day, so be it. jeez. it's her own husband, she knows him. i don't think she's saying that she herself remembers every. single. time. she's not saying that ALL men are forgetful. she's speakingf rom her own experience.
okay Copacetic girl....wtf are you talking about?
nobody attacked the woman who posted about her husband
i think you might need a craziness AND chill pill
To the commenter above: I think she meant one of the previous commenters, who stressed how "stupid" it is to think that men can be "forgetful."
Anyways, as a guy, I wanted to chime in and say this a male birth control pill would be a great idea. Just because it would give us more options to prevent unwanted pregnancies. I'm not really sure yet how consistent I would be in taking it, because it would take getting used to, and I'm not sure about the side effects either. But regardless, I think it would help out a lot of men.
Thank you for this post. Great topic!
I think the perfect scenario would be for people/couples who really want to prevent pregnancy to each be on their own birth control. Then there's double protection for any forgetfulness, and neither partner can "oops" the other if one of them actually wants a baby. I'm convinced this happens a lot - it's been suggested to me by about 5 separate people who I considered rational and responsible.
I would love to see, however, whether insurance would cover bc for two married people, or say one is enough.
this would be all to the good for me, except for the fact that my husband WANTS more children (I think 3 is plenty! lol) I couldn't rely on him to take it, because he wants nothing to do with birth control. So I'll be happy for those that this works out for, but I think I'll stick to my bc routine.
This is great. The doctors always say if your seriously not ready to have children you should use two types of protection. I'm married but we are not ready for children. I take birth control and would be great to be able to throw the condoms out and he just use a birth control too. So I think its a great idea. And he would diffently remember to take a pill like this.
I'm with you Suz. I'm happy that this will be in the market soon, and happy for those that would be able to use and benefit from this. The more options, the merrier! I just don't think my SO would be able to follow the regimen. No offense to men everywhere. That's just how it is. He says he would be willing to try and take the responsibility, but he would be "worried" for us. LOL.
i think this is a great idea! i know that my boyfriend would remember to take his pill everyday-- especially since the last thing he (or i) wants right now is a child!
Why should just us woman have to have deal with the side effects. It is not fair. Men should also have to deal with the side effects of birth control too. I hate the pill and the side effects from it. They make me fat, tired, and nauseous. But I take it because I am not ready to be a mom, I am not married yet.
It is true the MALE contraceptive is long overdue.
I have been waiting for one pharmaceutical company to come out with such a pill for a long time. If they can produce the women's oral contraceptive, why NOT the men's?
We cannot depend on the women to do it all the time.
The husband has a part to play too.
Using a condom, the fear is still there. What if it breaks during the act, or it is not 100% secure?
To play safe, both the woman and the man use contraceptive at the same time.
No worry of unwanted pregnancy!
Noosa is perfectly right! A woman on the pill looks fat,not only that, a little grumpy to me. Side effects of the MEN's pill? I have yet to experience it. Enjoy sex by all means.