Male contraceptive jab ‘as good as Pill’

A MALE contraceptive jab that is as effective as the female birth control pill has been developed.

In tests, the injection reduced pregnancy rates in couples by 96 per cent – a similar level to the Pill. The hormone-based jab is designed to lower sperm counts by acting on the pituitary gland in the brain.

Over a year-long trial involving 320 men with initially normal sperm counts, only four pregnancies occurred among their partners.

However, although the jabs increased libido, some participants reported side effects include depression and other mood disorders, muscle pain and acne, causing 20 to drop out of the trial.

Nevertheless it is the most promising human trial of a male contraceptive to date. Dr Mario Festin, from the World Health Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland, said: ‘The study found it is possible to have a hormonal contraceptive for men that reduces the risk of unplanned pregnancies in the partners of men who use it. Our findings confirmed the efficacy of this contraceptive method previously seen in small studies.’

The injections contained a long-acting form of progestogen, a hormone that has the effect of blocking sperm production, which is controlled by the pituitary gland.

Testosterone was added to counter-balance reductions in levels of the male hormone resulting from the treatment.

After an initial period, during which couples used both the injections and other birth control methods while their sperm counts fell, the men relied on the jabs alone. They were given injections every two months for up to a year. In 274 of the men, the sperm count was reduced to below one million per millilitre within 24 weeks.

A count of 15million to 20million is considered low, with counts of between 40million and 300million considered normal.

The results are reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Dr Festin said: ‘More research is needed to advance this concept to the point that it can be made widely available.’

Allan Pacey, professor of andrology at the University of Sheffield, said: ‘There is certainly an unmet need for an effective reversible contraceptive for men, along the lines of the hormonal contraceptive for women. However, none of the preparations that have been developed and tested to date have managed to become a commercial reality for one reason or another. In this latest study... they were able to suppress the production of sperm to a remarkable degree. As such, this contraceptive was extremely effective and therefore certainly has promise.

‘However, the fact that so many side effects were observed is of concern. For a male contraceptive to be accepted by men – or women – then it has to be well tolerated and not cause further problems.

‘But, it is noteworthy that 75 per cent of the men who took part in the trial would be willing to use this method of contraception again. So perhaps the side-effects weren’t all that bad after all.’

Earlier this week it emerged that UK scientists are developing a male contraceptive pill that they hope will work by temporarily ‘switching off’ the sperm’s ability to swim.