‘THE ULTIMATE PRESSURE STILL LIES WITH THE WOMAN’

Dr Jeff Foster, a GP at h3health.co.uk, specialising in men’s health, says:

‘While a male contraceptive pill is being trialled and researchers have made incredible developments, it’s important to remember that there has only been a four-week trial on mice so far. No one knows yet if this means it will be equally successful in humans, so a 99% sperm reduction in mice doesn’t necessarily translate to the same in men. We don’t yet know if it’s safe for people or if it may have adverse effects on other parts of the body. The long-term effects in humans are also unknown, and this will be a key element in the trial on humans, as most people who choose to take an oral contraceptive will want to be on it for months or years. The study is promising, but it could be years before it’s safe to be sold and prescribed to humans. For men, I think it may be hard to convince them that taking something that would suppress their sperm production would not also affect their masculinity. Being able to father children is, for some men, something that’s a core element of feeling like a man, and taking this away – even if an individual has volunteered to take it – might be quite a challenge for many.

There’s a big difference between using a condom, which allows for normal function, and taking a pill that is perceived as changing things internally.

Also, for women, there is the element of trust. Even if a man says he’s using the contraceptive, the ultimate pressure still lies with the woman as she’s the one who could become pregnant. So perhaps it would really only be an option for those people in stable relationships, which may further limit its use.’