Male Birth Control Part I.

Every so often you hear about how a supposed "male birth control method" is mere moments away from perfection (really?)

The idea of a male contraceptive is not a recent one. In "America and The Pill" by Elaine Tyler May, there is an entire chapter entitled "A Pill for Men?"

Research began in the 1950's out of the goal to treat infertility (as it did for female contraceptives). Several studies were conducted on small groups of prison inmates and mental patients. Unethical to say the least, these test groups differed only slightly and showed some success with reducing and even eliminating sperm count. Unfortunately, the side effects ranged from the small scale decreased libido to the more serious effect of shrunken testicles. Furthermore, the test subjects were not engaging in sexual acts with women and could not replicate how a compound might work in a heterosexual relationship.

Throughout the 1970's, China conducted similar experiments on drugs that could be used to halt sperm production. Worldwide, but especially in China and India, concern was growing about population control and the idea of a contraceptive for men was appealing for numerous reasons. In fact, due to the one-child law, contraceptives were already mandatory in China.

A decade or two after Scientists declared male contraceptive just around the corner, women in America cried foul when the medical community lacked to produce any tangible methods that shared the responsibilities of contraceptives with there male counterparts. After all, if science could finally introduce a way to control the reproductive activities in women, why could they not accomplish the same for men?

What the issue comes down to now as much as it did then is that women can get pregnant and men cannot. Men have nothing, or at least significantly less at stake than women when it comes down to birth control. When the possibility of reduced libido came up as a potential side effect in female contraceptives, it was considered unimportant. In the case of male birth control, preoccupation with sexual side effects is widespread.

In general, the questions and concerns of male contraceptives regarding their safety, effectiveness, and reversibility have led to a widespread lack of interest among men for their use. Some men have suggested that they would be interested in using a male contraceptive as long as it wasn't chemical and didn't effect their hormones. Psychologically speaking, men often equate the ability to impregnate females with the ego relating to masculinity.

So, why else hasn't this male birth control come to fruition?

To be continued...