MORE INNOVATIONS IN CONTRACEPTION

Male hormone injections

Progestogen jabs to cut off sperm production were found to be 96per cent effective in clinical trials at University of Edinburgh last year. Research stalled due to side-effects, including depression, mood disorders, libido changes and acne (which may sound familiar to women who’ve used the contraceptive pill)

Male contraceptive gel

A nonhormonal and non-surgical “reversible” vasectomy, Vasalgel would be injected into the vas deferens, the small duct between the testicles and the urethra, to block sperm from being released. After successful tests on animals, the first clinical trials are expected to be finished in 2020.

Contraceptive chip

A computer activated version of the levonorgestrel implant, this device being developed at MIT could last 16 years and let women turn off the hormone release using a wireless remote control.

Unisex pill

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley are testing a Catsper blocker, to stop sperm from entering and fertilising an egg. In women, it would be effective within a short window after sex. In men, it could work like the daily contraceptive pill, but it is unlikely to be on shelves for at least a decade.