Male alternatives to female contraceptives are on the way, but would women trust them?

Male equivalents to female contraceptives like the pill and implants are close and most men in one survey claim they’d use them, but can they be trusted?

An unwillingness to tolerate side effects was reported as the main reason men would not take contraception.

Over three-quarters of men are willing to take male contraceptives, a new study has found.

Research from We-Vibe showed a majority of men want to share contraceptive responsibility and if a male alternative to the female pill was available, they would take it.

Invented in the 1960s for married couples, the contraceptive pill has been the responsibility of women since its inception.

There are myriad birth control options available for women, including the pill and mini pill, intrauterine device (IUD), Implanon rod, hormonal patch, injection and more.

Comparatively, men can currently choose between using condoms, the problematic and unreliable ‘pullout’ method or getting a vasectomy.

In Australia, 81 per cent of women between the ages of 16 and 49 use some form of contraception but increasingly, fewer and fewer women want to take the pill because of side effects.

The study said the increased trend of men wanting to take sexual responsibility is being led by Millennials and Gen Z, with 83 per cent of participants in those demographics attributing contraceptive responsibility to all parties involved – regardless of gender identity.

Most men surveyed said they would take a male pill.

Head of sexual empowerment at We-Vibe Johanna Rief said there has been a “huge shift” in power dynamics over the past few decades, further contributing to the trend.

“Women are taking control of their sexuality and sexual experiences, in turn changing the way society thinks about sex,” Ms Rief said.

“We’ve seen this illustrated in an increase in acceptance around female self-pleasure, the recent affirmative consent laws introduced in Victoria and changes to abortion laws, just to name a few examples.”

She said everybody would benefit from different contraception methods being made available.

“Having different options when it comes to contraception can strengthen relationships, build trust and enable partners to enjoy their intimate moments even more.

“The data has clearly shown that men and women alike are interested in contraceptive options beyond vasectomies and condoms.”

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Male equivalents to female contraceptives like the pill and implants are close, and most men in one survey claim they’d use them, but can they be trusted? #contraceptive#contraception#birthcontrol#health#reproductivehealth#pregnancy#womenshealth#meanshealth#thepill#iud#patch#fyp

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An unwillingness to tolerate side effects was reported as the main reason men would not take contraception, alongside concern that the research into new medication was insufficient.

Worldwide, 41 per cent of men said they would not tolerate any side effects at all, especially if it could affect their libido.

Women were also reported to feel resistance toward male contraceptives, but out of concern they would not actually take it properly.

“The biggest concern for women was a lack of trust in men to take the male contraceptive, which would in turn lead to increased physical, emotional and economic burden on women,” Ms Rief said.

“This could be because men are disengaged from reproductive responsibilities, or they may intentionally deceive partners in order to have unprotected sex.”

Former Monash student association women’s officer Chloe Yeats said it was understandable and fair for women to distrust whether their sexual partner was being honest about using contraception.

There has been a ‘huge shift’ in power dynamics over the past few decades.

“I would be worried about it myself, it’s very easy for men – and women, for that matter – to lie and say they’re on contraception just to have unprotected sex,” she said.

Ms Yeats said her main concern was men thinking new methods of contraception would override the importance of condom use.

“If male contraception becomes the norm, they could potentially use it as a form of power against women to not use condoms – which, of course, totally ignores the risk of STDs.

“It doesn’t work like that, condoms will always be absolutely essential for having safe sex – whether it’s casual or in a relationship.

“Women regularly use both birth control and condoms, so when this change is enacted it’s going to be incredibly important that men see contraception as an addition to, not an alternative to, using condoms.”

In Australia, there are two male contraceptive methods edging closer to commercial circulation.

The first is a gel, called NES/T, that can be applied to the skin and effectively reduces sperm count.

The other is a non-hormonal injection called RISUG, injected into the vas deferens – the sperm duct – that prevents the release of sperm.

Both methods are proving successful in trials, presenting little to no side effects and high birth control efficacy.

Ms Yeats said in terms of mild side effects, men need to step up for the good of medical research.

“Women have been copping the consequences of the pill for decades without much complaint – even though in some cases, it has caused significant pain or damage,” she said.

“These trials are showing nothing like the intense effects women have dealt with, so it’s absolutely about time the onus was shared.

“Men don’t have to give birth either, so dealing with a slight headache from contraception because it’ll protect the person you’re having sex with should be at the front of your mind.

“It’s a small sacrifice to show basic care and respect.

“We can do it, men can do it too.”