male birth control pill?

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-08-2004
male birth control pill?
1
Thu, 10-28-2004 - 8:51pm
I was just wondering, is the pill out there for us guys to use? I read a few articles with the pill on trial and that it should be out soon. Has anyone heard anything new and any side effects? Thank you!
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-14-2004
Thu, 10-28-2004 - 8:57pm
Hey, it`s great to hear it when guys take interest in taking on some of the "burden". :)

Right now, male birth control pills aren`t on the market. They`re still in trials, but, the last I read, may be available within the next three years or so. Maybe sooner or later, depending on how trials go.

Some of the methods being tested currently include daily pills, injections, implants, patches, and even I read one mention of a gel! They operate by inhibiting either sperm production or "maiming" the sperm (for lack of a better word) so that they can`t swim or otherwise do their job to get to the egg.

Some of the possible side effects are similar to female birth control pills, like weight gain and acne. Of course, like their female counterpart, not all guys experience these side effects and some experience them to greater degrees.

Here are two websites that I ran across that have information on research being done:

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=117&art_id=vn20031008083439740C712104&set_id=1

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993161

Lena


Edited 10/28/2004 9:19 pm ET ET by clannanceilidh