When a child comes into the world, this is usually accompanied by an overwhelming sense of joy and excitement. There is a new addition to a family, new experiences to be had, and new memories to be made. In other cases, there are times when a child is a burden. Whether it is for financial reasons, emotional reasons, or you just aren’t ready to be a parent, there are better times than others to bring a new life into the world. Having control over your own reproductive abilities and sexual health is an important right that everyone should be able to contribute and take responsibility for. For about as long as contraception has been available, studies and advancements in reproductive technology have been focused more towards women than men. Compared to the large range of options that women have available to them, men have next to nothing. New advancements in reproductive technology are working to change that with the development of a hormonal male birth control. This new male form of contraception would be very beneficial to society on a global scale not only in terms of sexual health but also leveling the field of gender inequality. No one side should have to feel more responsible or obligated than another.

When it comes to the options men are given to use as forms of birth control, they are far and few. The two basic forms are condoms, this being the most popular, and vasectomies; the ladder being a more serious and permanent procedure. There is also the third, and less popular, option to remain abstinent. The use of condoms is also known as a barrier method. The first recorded description of a condom came about in the 16th century. Paul Kogan, MD gives a brief description in the history of condoms and their development over time; “They have evolved from animal intestines to latex and polyurethane-based products.” (Kogan, 1) Condoms, compared to other contraceptive methods, come along with a range of benefits. They are low cost, easy to use, have little to no side effects while also reduce the likelihood of someone transmitting an STD. They also have a very high success rate on having a 2% discrepancy. This is a wonderful product that has taken over the market but there are some downsides. The main reason for the lack of use of a condom is the perceived reduction in pleasure. Because of their high success rate and low risk of side effects this will most likely continue to be the recommended method for men who are not looking to have children. The vasectomy is more of a permanent solution that requires a minor procedure. “The first human vasectomy was performed by R. Harrison, a doctor in London. During World War II vasectomies were regarded as a method of birth control.” (2) How a modern-day vasectomy is performed is that the doctor will sever the vas deferens to keep the sperm from mixing with the seminal fluid. The sperm is then absorbed by the body instead of being ejaculated out of the body. Vasectomies are usually considered a more permanent method of birth control but they can be reversed if need be. This would require a second procedure to reconnect the vas deferens to allow sperm to be able to, once again, mix with seminal fluid. Similar to condoms, vasectomies are low cost, simple and have a measurable success rate. These options are great and very abundant in today’s market, but it just isn’t enough. 

Men should have more than choice A or choice B for their sexual and reproductive health. This would also help take some of the pressure off women to feel more responsible for providing or taking some form of contraception.  Vivek Mathew once said, “Multi-cultural studies have shown a relatively good acceptance for male contraception among men with more than three-fourths of men expressing intent to use a contraceptive if available. However, there are multiple religious, educational, economic and cultural barriers standing in the way of male contraception. When the clinical trials done on contraception are examined, it is seen that the bulk of them have concentrated on female contraceptive methods.” (Vivek, 910-911) Everyone has the right to have their own beliefs towards birth control whether that be for religious, cultural, etc. reasons. But for those that do believe in the use of birth control in order to practice safe sex the responsibility should be shared equally. It takes two people to create a life and the responsibility shouldn’t be put on a women’s shoulders to make sure that doesn’t happen if she isn’t ready. 

The Palo Alto Medical Foundation has been conducting research on different methods of male birth control. This information is readily available on their website, including a description, frequently asked questions and a brief plan. You can read as they explain the current methods that are available, as I have above, while going a step further to discuss the new scientific developments and possibilities in contraception. The author states, “In addition, scientists are researching the development of a male birth control pill.” (Winters, 1) This development would change the game of male reproduction. The focus of the male birth control pill is summed up into three approaches; keeping the male from producing sperm, keeping the sperm from swimming, and preventing the sperm from fertilizing the egg. To see a timeline of how far medical science has come from no one having any form of birth control to the possibility of solving your problems with a pill is a bit humbling. This development would allow for a more secure state of mind when it comes to a man’s ability to procreate by adding an extra, more reliable form of contraception. Medical technology is evolving everyday and you never know that they are going to come up with next.

There was a study done recently that involved about 320 male participants between the ages of 18 and 45 years of age with 18 to 38-year-old female partners, both without fertility problems. This study was designed to test an injectable male contraception every eight weeks, which led to a near complete and reversible suppression of sperm production. The most common adverse effects were acne, injection site pain, increased libido, and mood disorders (many of which women experience while on birth control). Unfortunately, the study was cut short, and if you ask any major tabloid that heard about this there reasoning was because the men were just plain “wimps”. Julia Belluz of Vox says otherwise, “The study was halted, but it wasn't because the men who participated in it were wimpy. It was halted because one of the two independent committees that were monitoring the trial's safety data was concerned about the high number of adverse events the men reported.” (Belluz) The rate of these adverse effects were apparently higher than what women typically experience while using hormonal birth control. The 320 participants reported a massive 1,491 adverse effects and it was determined that 900 of those effects were caused by the injectable contraceptive. The need for people to vent about the lack of male contraception, and the adverse effects experienced by women who use it may endure, is very understandable and justified. But we should be blaming the men in this study for that inequality. For now, it should be enough that there is being work done to develop and test a hormonal male birth control, but it is going to require patients and understanding from our end as the consumers.

Another concern that has risen, but many people aren’t aware of, is the world’s population. The world’s populace has risen to an alarming level and it isn’t evenly distributed, leaving some nations struggling with population density, namely country such as India and China. Vivek Mathew explains this when he says, “At the same time the paradox is that the financial and material resources cannot match the population growth that has occurred. A second paradox is the uneven population growth. While some nations are experiencing a population explosion, others show a negative growth.” (Mathew, 1) There has also been a trend with the newest generation, the millennials, that they are getting married later. This further means that they are less likely to have children, due to the fact that women’s uteruses are a “ticking clock”, which accounts for the negative growth rates in certain countries. This is also coupled with the fact that fertility levels have been shown to decrease in the recent decades and the future population is highly dependent on the fertility rates. If these levels continue to decline this will cause the over all world population to drop, hence the concept of contraception as a way to control the population is of the upmost importance. 

To bring this to a more relatable level, Cosmopolitan, a notorious magazine that covers topics such as sex, relationships, fashion, etc., recently did a story that discusses the rise of Condomless male birth control. The article discussed a new study on the effectiveness of Vasalgel, a reversible birth control injection for men. They go onto explain the concept of Vasalgel, how it works and the successful outcome that the trails had. The author shares her views when she declares, “…when it looks like men will finally have a birth control option that's safe, long-lasting, reversible, and doesn't involve surgery. Sounds like a dream.” (Smothers) Obviously, Ms. Smothers has a very opinionated stance on the development of this medical marvel but even the fact that Cosmo picked up that story, I believe, says a lot. This is a hot button issue right now, and for these self-proclaimed “sexperts” to give this idea a boost is huge. People will read this article and actually listen to what the authors have to say. The product will be in high demand before it even hits the market.

 With all this scientific data and articles coming from well-respected sources this product sounds like an amazing idea. But the important question we have to consider is, would it be used? Would a man be willing to take this hormonal contraception while risking the possible side effects? Kyle Munkittrick, of Discover Magazine, seems to think so. He commends the creation and use of the female pill, while further expressing jealousy that he doesn’t have this option for his own use. Kyle states, “If the two do have sex without any protection, the girl is forced to deal with the consequences, be it Plan B, abortion, or pregnancy. A male pill would dramatically alter some consciousness’s.” (Munkittrick) This would be huge. Not only would this bring the notion of safe sex to the forefront of the male mind, but it would overall decrease the need for Plan B and abortions when an unwanted pregnancy is the result. Psychologically speaking when a man, usually in high school, has a condom in his wallet he is perceived as “cool”. It shows the immediate audience that that man is in need of that condom and probably has sex on a regular basis. Now imagine the symbolic power that would come from taking the pill. The author theorizes, “A condom in the wallet says “I might get lucky tonight.” The pill says, “I have sex all the damn time.”” (Munkittrick) This would be a major combat to any emasculation that could come along with a man’s choice to take the new development in medical technology. This form of contraception has been used by women for decades, which has caused a stigma to come along with it. To be able to use a tiny pill as a status symbol would allow consumers to be more open-minded and willing to give it a try. 

There are groups in the world, however, that feel that birth control of any sort is an abomination. These opinions, in my research, generally have come from hardcore religious cultures. An article on BBC proclaims, “The use of contraception is morally wrong. Contraception is unnatural. Contraception is anti-life. Contraception is a form of abortion. Contraception separates sex from reproduction.” (BBC) These may sound extreme but some of what they are saying is warranted. The use of birth control does have the potential to increase health risk for STDs, because some people think the pill is enough. Birth control is “unnatural”, but that doesn’t necessarily make it bad. It allows people to form families when they’re ready, and have some control over their bodies. These individuals have every right to have their own opinions and choose their own forms of medical care, but they shouldn’t condemn those who choose a different path. Everyone has something that works best for them whether that may be abstinence or a condom, but no choice in itself is wrong. 

Other groups have taken a more comedic approach to this hot topic. Saturday Night Live, a well-known late night comedy show, did a segment in their weekend update about the possible development of male birth control. The male actor explains, “Men are not going to take birth control because pregnancy just doesn’t affect our bodies. When a woman gets pregnant she has to decide whether or not she wants a human being to grow inside of her. Meanwhile, I get nine months whether to decide to buy a stroller or a bus ticket.” (SNL) Keeping in mind that this is a comedy show and the actors are looking for laughs, this can come off as a bit crude. But what Colin Jost is saying isn’t wrong. Men aren’t affected the same way women are by pregnancy. This source isn’t scholarly, you could even call it biased, but the fact that they’re addressing this topic at all allows to word to be spread. If men did make the choice to take the initiative and support this creation, the chances of an unwanted pregnancy, or even a scare, would lessen even further. 

Birth control has always been a controversial topic when it comes to what is best for a woman’s body and practicing safe sex. The development of a male hormonal contraception would not only make men more responsible for their actions but also help level the field of gender inequality. With only two options of contraception available to men right now, condoms and vasectomies, the medical world has a hard time making either of them sound appealing. You either run the risk of being uncomfortable or have to make a more permanent solution in terms of your reproductive abilities. A male pill would be easy, it would take the stress away of feeling unprepared in the moment and would allow for a heightened sense of security that you are protected. Doctors are working hard to try and put this product on the market and, from the research that I have done, this medical marvel would be a huge success. Men will want to have this option and this will further allow some pressure to be taken off of women’s shoulders of the burden that birth control can sometimes be. There will be groups that don’t agree, but that is their choice to make. Overall, this advancement in medical technology would be an asset to the future of population, sexual health, and piece of mind. 
