Hormonal patches, intrauterine devices (IUDs), NuvaRings, contraceptive sponges, cervical caps, tubal ligations and the pill. What common theme unites these items? These are all examples of different contraceptive methods. Furthermore, another important factor that these items have in common is that they are all forms of female contraception. Because this is one of the most common forms of contraception, this illustrates how women unfairly bear the majority of the contraceptive burden. Currently, there is a striking difference between the number of contraceptive methods available to women and men, because women have numerous different contraceptive methods, while men only have two: condoms or vasectomies (Ahmed et al., 2024, p. 1653). Despite continued efforts by researchers since the 1970s to formulate a contraceptive pill for men, there is still no hormonal contraceptive available for men (Dismore et al., 2016). This raises an important question: if it usually takes two individuals to conceive a child, why are women continually forced to take responsibility for pregnancy prevention planning?
This blog explores some of the arguments in favor of more contraceptive options for men, while also highlighting arguments against the development of new contraceptives for men. It is important to note that this blog uses the term ‘male’ to refer to individuals who produce sperm, and ‘female’ to individuals who produce eggs, although it is recognized that not all individuals using male or female contraceptives will identify with these terms.
One of the main arguments in support of increased contraceptive options for men is that they would allow contraceptive responsibility to be shared more equally between partners (Peterson, et al., 2019). Rather than forcing women to assume the majority of contraceptive responsibilities, male contraceptives would help alleviate some of the burden on women while also providing another way to support women’s contraceptive use beyond financial, logistical, and socio-emotional resources (Nguyen, 2024). Results from a recent survey in the United States found that most men (about 7 in 10) shared the common attitude that decisions about when to have children should be made by both partners and that children should be a shared responsibility between partners (Nguyen, 2024). Furthermore, this study found an independent correlation between these views of shared responsibilities and men’s willingness to use male contraception in the future (Nguyen, 2024). These findings illustrate the importance of changing the narratives from contraceptive use as a woman’s responsibility to instead as a shared duty, as this could further influence greater willingness to use contraception among men (Nguyen, 2024).
Furthermore, supporting the development of additional contraceptive methods for men could also help reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies. By introducing more contraceptive options for men, men could have more control over preventing unintended pregnancies, beyond wearing a condom or having a vasectomy (Peterson et al., 2019). Currently, the number of unplanned pregnancies around the world is very high, with studies showing that almost 44% of all pregnancies are unintended (Abbe et al., 2020). Research among women with an unplanned pregnancy shows that many of them did not use contraception or used unreliable methods, such as withdrawal (Abbe et al., 2020). One of the main reasons women report a lack of reliable contraceptive use is due to associated side effects and health concerns (Abbe et al., 2020). In addition, when women stop using contraceptives, it increases the risk of pregnancies, especially due to the lack of contraceptives for men. Recent studies suggest that new contraceptive options for men could have a positive impact on unplanned pregnancies, as they have the potential to reduce rates by 3.5–5% in the United States, and by more than 30% in other developing regions of the world (Abbe et al., 2020).
On the other hand, one concern of the increased birth control options for men is the potential side effects. Although side effects are an important consideration when developing new contraceptives, it is important to remember that some of the first contraceptives available to women posed side effects and risks that outweighed the overall benefits of the contraceptive (Nguyen, 2024). This illustrates a double standard where women are expected to tolerate the side effects associated with contraceptives, yet many studies of new contraceptives for men are quickly stopped when side effects occur. A study testing the efficacy of a hormonal contraceptive for men, which showed promising results in sperm suppression in preliminary trials, was ultimately stopped due to concerns about potential side effects, including acne, increased libido, mood disturbances, and pain at the sight of an injection – all common side effects of female contraception (Nguyen, 2024). The continued abandonment of research in the presence of side effects further proves how society has unfairly normalized side effects associated with female contraception (Donegan, 2019). Furthermore, another study assessing men’s willingness to use various forms of new male contraception found that men had very low expected willingness to tolerate potential side effects ( Martins & Boraas, 2023 ). Specifically, less than 10% of men in the survey said they would be willing to tolerate side effects, including acne, mood swings, fatigue, headaches, 10 to 20 pound weight gain, and/or increased/decreased libido, that are present in various forms of hormonal birth control in women (Martins & Boraas, 2023).
Another argument against the development of new contraceptives for men concerns their predicted low uptake. One of the main reasons for the lack of funding and resources allocated to male contraceptive research and development is due to the belief that men would not use it (Nguyen, 2024). Global findings suggest that existing male contraceptives consisting of condoms and vasectomies account for only approximately 8.9% of contraceptive use (Peterson et al., 2019). Furthermore, vasectomies are less frequently selected as a primary form of contraception compared to other forms of female sterilization methods (Nguyen, 2024). A 2008 study found that only 6% of couples in the United States who used contraception relied on vasectomies, while 17% of couples relied on tubal ligations or other forms of female sterilization (Nguyen, 2024). Although vasectomy procedures are objectively safer and simpler than sterilization methods in women, there is still a significant difference in their use (Nguyen, 2024). Furthermore, this illustrates the concern that even if additional forms of male contraception are developed, men may not choose to use them.
Overall, the debate over the development of additional contraceptive options for men is still ongoing. While it is valid to raise concerns about the potential risks of new male contraceptives, it is also important to actively address misinformed assumptions about side effects and biases about who bears the burden of contraception and its side effects (Peterson et al., 2019). This can be achieved by implementing awareness programs aimed at educating men about the safety of male contraception and its minimal side effects (Ahmed et al., 2024). To increase men’s interest and willingness to use future male contraception, education will be a crucial factor. By increasing men’s awareness of new male contraceptives, and exposing men to women’s contraceptive experiences and challenges, we can begin to foster a society in which contraceptive responsibilities are more equally shared.
Jordan Ross (she/her), fourth-year psychology major.
References
Abbe, C.R., Page, S.T., & Thirumalai, A. (2020). Male contraception. The Yale Journal of Biology & Medicine93(4), 603–613.
Ahmed, H., Memon, A., Hoda, F., and Alvares, J. (2024). The male contraceptive pill – A new approach to family planning and population control. The International Journal of Health Planning and Management39(5), 1652–1657. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpm.3823
Dismore, L., Van Wersch, A., & Swainston, K. (2016). Social constructions of the male contraceptive pill: when will we break the vicious circle? Journal of Health Psychology21(5), 788–797. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105314539528
Donegan, M. (2019, June 6). It’s time for men to take action and share the responsibility for contraception. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/05/male-birth-control-step-up-responsibility
Martins, SL, & Boraas, CM (2023). Willingness to use new reversible methods of male contraception: a community-based survey of cisgender men in the United States. Contraception and reproductive medicine8(1), 41–41. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40834-023-00242-y
Nguyen, B. T. (2024). Male contraceptive acceptability versus male acceptance of contraceptive responsibility. Andrology (Oxford)12(7), 1585–1589. https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.13719
Peterson, L.M., Campbell, MAT, & Laky, Z.E. (2019). The next frontier for male contraceptive choice: College students’ willingness to pursue male hormonal contraception. Psychology of men and masculinity20(2), 226–237. https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000174
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