In news that will delight the female population, the male birth control pill has passed safety tests and could be available by 2029.
Researchers from the Los Angeles Biomed Research Institute, who are currently testing the safety and tolerability of the pills in healthy men, have revealed that the pills are one step closer to becoming a reality.
The contraceptive pill, which is called 11-beta-MNTDC, is a modified testosterone that combines the actions of a male hormone and a progesterone.
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Like the female contraceptive pill, 11-beta-MNTDC is taken once a day to reduce the chance of conceiving.
The pill was taken by 30 men over a 28-day period to test its results. No serious side effects were reported, while the drug showed decreasing sperm production and a drop in testosterone levels without a significant loss of sex drive.
Some men experienced mild side effects such as acne, headaches and fatigue (symptoms women taking the pill will be only too familiar with).
The effects are also reversible, meaning that men could take the pill temporarily and then stop the treatment when contraception was no longer desired.
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"Our results suggest that this pill, which combines two hormonal activities in one, will decrease sperm production while preserving libido," says co-lead author of the study, Dr Christina Wang. "Safe, reversible hormonal male contraception should be available in about 10 years."
While the onus is usually on the female partner to take contraceptive measures simply because of the lack of male options other than condoms, according to a survey by YouGov, a third of men would be willing to take a male pill. If there was an effective male pill on the market, men and women could share the responsibility of contraception more fairly.
The research, revealed in January 2019, showed that eight in 10 Brits thought that both women and men should share the responsibility for contraception, and that 33 per cent of men would consider taking a male version of the pill.
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This is in contrast to 27 per cent, who said they would "definitely not" be willing to take it, and another 23 per cent saying they would "probably" not.
It will certainly be interesting to see how the stats change once the pill is actually available to take...
Featured Image Credit: UnsplashTopics: Sex & Relationships
