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IronLionZion

(45,250 posts)
Thu Dec 21, 2017, 05:49 PM Dec 2017

A Contraceptive Gel for Men Is About to Go on Trial

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609773/a-contraceptive-gel-for-men-is-about-to-go-on-trial/

It’s expected to deliver hormones more effectively than injections or pills.
by Emily Mullin December 20, 2017

After more than a decade of work, government researchers in the U.S. are ready to test an unusual birth control method for men—a topical gel that could prevent the production of sperm.

And no, gentlemen, you don’t rub it on your genitals.

The clinical trial, which begins in April and will run for about four years, will be the largest effort in the U.S. to test a hormonal form of birth control for men.

Currently, men’s only options for birth control are condoms or a vasectomy. In the last major study of a hormonal male contraceptive, which took place in Europe from 2008 to 2012, participants received injections of hormones every two months. The shots suppressed sperm production and prevented the men’s female partners from getting pregnant, but they also gave men severe mood swings and other serious side effects (see “Why We Still Don’t Have Birth Control Drugs for Men”).

The new gel contains two synthetic hormones, testosterone and a form of progestin. Progestin blocks the testes from making enough testosterone to produce normal levels of sperm. The replacement testosterone is needed to counteract the hormone imbalances the progestin causes but won't make the body produce sperm.


Who's excited for hormones?
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A Contraceptive Gel for Men Is About to Go on Trial (Original Post) IronLionZion Dec 2017 OP
Sounds like it committed a felony ksoze Dec 2017 #1
It's innocent until proven guilty IronLionZion Dec 2017 #2
Just get snipped... brooklynite Dec 2017 #3
Getting snipped seems safer to me. gvstn Dec 2017 #6
*to* trial, not *on* trial, lol unblock Dec 2017 #4
Clinical trial is the correct term, but this wording LeftInTX Dec 2017 #7
If we don't rub it on our genitals, who will? NightWatcher Dec 2017 #5
They should do an ad based on the "Swarfega Ready" ads ! OnDoutside Dec 2017 #9
Because TPTB will NEVER let us have RISUG. KTM Dec 2017 #8
I don't know why they'd take it. A lot men I know in their early 30's are having trouble due to politicaljunkie41910 Dec 2017 #10
Years ago, I read about an experiment to place tiny, gold valves in the vas deferens LongTomH Dec 2017 #11

gvstn

(2,805 posts)
6. Getting snipped seems safer to me.
Thu Dec 21, 2017, 06:02 PM
Dec 2017

It is minimally invasive and reversible (in most cases). I'd gladly opt for that rather than a prescription that messes with hormones and requires a synthetic substitute for replacement of testosterone.

politicaljunkie41910

(3,335 posts)
10. I don't know why they'd take it. A lot men I know in their early 30's are having trouble due to
Thu Dec 21, 2017, 06:37 PM
Dec 2017

low sperm count.

My daughter and my daughter-in-law both had trouble conceiving and had to go through invitro fertilization. Almost all my daughter's friends (she's 36) are having problems conceiving. My daughter had problems herself and is currently awaiting to confirm if she's pregnant after going through invitro for the second time. Her first baby turned a year old in October and she's hoping she's pregnant again. The doctors said it was her husbands low sperm count. My son and his wife had the same problem and went through the same process after nine years of marriage. They married at age 21 and tried for nine years. All of a sudden every male of normal child baring age has a low sperm count. My thought is that the 'invitro' route is a racket. Once you label a guy as 'low sperm' count something psychologically sets in and then he can't. All my daughter's friends, (and she has lots of them her age), all seem to be having problems conceiving since they waited until they had established careers before having children. They are now desperate and they have good jobs, so this makes the problem worse since they believe that something must be wrong with them. But in almost ever case, doctor's are telling the men in their lives that they have low sperm count. Hell it only takes ONE. My son and his wife had triplets after trying for 9 years, half of that time included trying via 'invitro' and finally they had triplets. Eight months after the triplets were born, my D-I-L conceived naturally. It seems that when the pressure is off, nature takes its course.

LongTomH

(8,636 posts)
11. Years ago, I read about an experiment to place tiny, gold valves in the vas deferens
Thu Dec 21, 2017, 06:45 PM
Dec 2017

I don't know if the experiment was unsuccessful or if the money just ran out for the clinical trial. I thought that would be a perfect answer to male birth control, a definitely reversible vasectomy. Every young man could have it done, at puberty, and have it reversed when he, and his partner, decide they're ready to become parents.

Maybe modern nanotechnology could make this successful.

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