About 25% of the world’s contraception is condoms, so many dudes are perfectly happy with them.
Condoms are available everywhere, without a prescription, a condome prevents STDs as well as pregnancy; so there’s not been huge pressure for a prescription strength contraceptive pill for men.
For women, we generally focus on contraception from ages 15 to 45, men do make viable sperm for decades longer, although the are much less fertile after 50 as well.
Biologically the hormonal control of sperm production is linked to the male hormone testosterone. Only small drops in the levels of testosterone hormone have not been successful at controlling male reproductive potential, but these same small drops in hormone can be associated with ED, fatigue, and loss of muscle mass.
But, if you are tired of condoms and want a pill, there’s been some advancements. Over much more than half a century after the introduction of the female pill Italian researchers have announced they are getting close to a male contraceptive pill. Many more are under development, the goal of these pills is to prevent any sperm production.
Arthi Thirumalai, MBBS, from, University of Washington, Seattle and his coauthor Stephanie Page, MD, PhD, have issued statements saying that this new drug, dimethandrolone undecanoate (DMAU), can bind to both androgen and progesterone receptors, and reliably and so far safely can reversibly reduce sperm counts to very very low levels.
So we’re not there yet, but we may be sometime soon, so follow along and we will let you know if there are new advances!