The methods of contraception for men currently available in Poland are condoms and vasectomy, which are classified as mechanical and surgical methods of contraception. But men will probably soon be able to use hormonal contraceptives in the form of injections and pills. Read about the effectiveness of current and new forms of contraception for men.

Male contraceptionis a topic that is getting more and more attention. Many couples are looking for a method of contraception that would be highly effective and easy to use, and at the same time would not expose women to possible negative effects of taking hormonal preparations. Find out what are themethods of male contraceptionandwhat happens when a man takes birth control pills.

Currently in Poland there are two methods ofmale contraception : condoms and vasectomy, which is becoming more and more popular. Contrary to the fears of many people, the procedure consisting in cutting the vas deferens is legal and - properly performed - does not carry a greater risk of complications.

Scientists are working on such methodsof male contraceptionthat would not require surgical intervention and were more effective and convenient to use than condoms. There is a good chance that they will become widely used in the next few years.

Male contraception - condoms

This is the oldest and still the most popular contraceptive method for men. The first condoms were made from animal guts and fish bladders as early as 3000 BC. What makes men still eagerly reach for them? First of all, the convenience of use, cheapness and availability.

The condom is also an effective barrier against bacteria and viruses that cause sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection. This method of protection against pregnancy, however, has several major disadvantages: in many men it causes discomfort or reduces sensitivity to stimuli, is not the most effective (Pearl Index is 2-15), and the need to put on a condom during intercourse may be burdensome for partners.

Worth knowing

What happens when a man takes birth control pills?

There may be times when a man confuses his pills with the birth control pillspartner and will take them by accident. This can happen when they both keep their tablets in plastic boxes rather than their original packaging. Then what? It turns out that if a man swallows contraceptive pills, he is safe because the dose of hormones in them is very low. He also does not need to take any tablets to restore his testosterone levels.

Learn these surprising facts about contraception

Male contraception - Vasectomy

Vasectomy is a surgical method of contraception and involves cutting the vas deferens so that sperm does not leak from the testicles into the penis. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and takes no more than 30 minutes, so it is not highly invasive.

Vasectomy is especially recommended for men who already have children and do not plan to have another child in the future. The effectiveness of this method of contraception is around 99%. It is worth noting that vasectomy does not change a man's hormonal balance, nor does it affect the deterioration of sexual life, and does not affect he alth or appearance in any way. It is a reversible procedure - after reoperation, no later than 10 years after the procedure, 90% of men regain fertility.

Natural methods of contraception for men

There are also natural methods of contraception that men can use:

  • sexual abstinence - the simplest method is to abstain from intercourse on days when the woman is fertile. However, it requires the involvement of both partners, because its effectiveness depends to the greatest extent on the correct determination of the fertile days based on the physiological symptoms in the woman (temperature, mucus consistency, pain symptoms);
  • intermittent intercourse - despite its low effectiveness (Pearl 15-28), many couples still use this method of contraception. Meanwhile, removing a member from the vagina just before ejaculation is no guarantee that fertilization will not take place - the penis secretes a pre-ejaculate that contains sperm, and the time of its release is difficult to predict. This method is therefore recommended only for couples who consider the possibility of becoming pregnant.

Male contraception - hormonal contraception

Work is underway to introducemale contraceptionmethods based on hormonal activity. They are supposed to inhibit the production of sperm in the testes. We know about two ways to prevent pregnancy in this way:

  • hormone injections - they contain testosterone, which, when injected into the body, interferes with the process of spermatogenesis. Reduced sperm count insemen lowers the risk of fertilization. This method, however, has significant disadvantages - as a result of its use, the concentration of natural (produced in the testes) testosterone in the blood decreases, which has a negative impact on the sex drive. Moreover, in some men an enlargement of the prostate gland was observed. The effectiveness of the injections has also not been definitively investigated, as it is not known how much the sperm count should be reduced in order to be guaranteed non-fertilization;
  • hormonal pills - they contain testosterone and progestogen (also used in contraceptive pills for women), which are more effective when administered together. They also do not cause a decrease in libido. Studies on a control group of men proved that men who used hormonal pills for 70 days were not able to fertilize. The return to fertility took place 4 months after stopping the pills.

Despite promising research results, none of the above methods has reached the general circulation yet. Why? Medical circles are not convinced of male hormonal contraception because it interferes with the endocrine system to a much greater extent than in the case of female contraception.

In order to inhibit a man's reproductive capacity, it requires the neutralization of millions of sperm, while in the case of women - only one egg. What's more, the general parameters of sperm deteriorate year by year and this applies to almost all men - 30 years ago, the norm of sperm in 1 ml of semen was 100 million, today only 15 million. Doctors are therefore not sure if the additional reduction in the reproductive capacity of men will have side effects in the future.

This will be useful to you

In 2022, Vasalgel was to hit pharmacies - a contraceptive injection for men, which does not contain hormones, but a special polymer gel. When injected into the scrotum, the polymer blocks sperm from escaping from the vas deferens, but allows the rest of the ejaculate to flow freely. The treatment can be reversed - for this purpose, a substance that dissolves and rinses out the polymer is injected.

The preparation has already been tested on rabbits and monkeys - the test results were positive. In 2016, it was to be submitted to human clinical trials. For now, however, the preparation is not yet available anywhere - work on it is ongoing, and the manufacturer writes on his Facebook profile that it is impossible to predict when the product will go on sale.

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Pregnancy