Contraceptives were once a taboo topic but as they became more widely used in society, they gradually became easier to discuss, especially as they are now employed as a life-saving treatment in some cases. Still, the term is mostly associated with females as contraceptive options for males remain limited to condoms and a vasectomy. Meanwhile, women readily have an available army of options ranging from intrauterine devices (IUDs), birth control pills, implants, and patches.

Male contraceptives are being developed and although it will take a while for them to reach the market, women are looking forward to the opportunity to shoulder the contraception burden. (Credit: Getty Images)
Male contraceptives are being developed and although it will take a while for them to reach the market, women are looking forward to the opportunity to shoulder the contraception burden. (Credit: Getty Images)

Perhaps this is because the consequences of sexual activity lie more heavily on women. However, this should be more reason why male partners should join in shouldering the responsibility as women already have menstruation and pregnancy concerns to consider.

 

What will male contraceptives look like?

Scientists seem to agree and there is now a range of male contraceptives being developed. This includes a hormonal topical gel applied daily to the shoulders containing a combination of testosterone and progestin which activate the brain to lower testosterone levels to reduce sperm count. There is another drug that instead targets the sperm’s ability to swim or fertilize an egg which is also in the development stages to reduce hormonal side effects. Furthermore, another alternative could be a gel injected into the vas deferens to stop the transport of sperm.

Currently, only one of the earlier-mentioned male contraceptives has entered clinical trials with the hormonal topical gel consisting of Nestorone and testosterone undergoing phase 2 clinical trials. 

The other non-hormonal gel injection for the vas deferens, which acts as a reversible hydrogel for men, is expected to enter clinical trials this year and the rest are still in the early development stages.

Male contraceptives are not just more difficult to develop but also market. While females only release one or two eggs monthly, males usually produce millions of sperm daily. After determining that the threshold to prevent pregnancy should be less than 1 million sperm per milliliter of semen, one of the issues has been solved. That still leaves the issue of having a very high bar to meet in terms of efficacy as female contraceptives like IUDs and implants are already 99 percent effective.

However, unless there are any life-threatening disadvantages that might occur like in the 1990 World Health Organization trials for male contraceptives, there are still valid reasons for developing male contraceptives as females are not exempt from contraceptive side effects either.

 

Disadvantages of oral contraceptives for women

According to the National Cancer Center Korea, long-term use of oral contraceptives is known to have a preventive effect on epithelial ovarian cancer. However, taking oral contraceptives has other disadvantages. While there is no definitive link between contraceptives causing or preventing cancer, studies generally agree that breast, cervical, and liver cancer risks are increased in women using oral contraceptives.

Furthermore, heavy oral contraceptive use is also not advised as the estrogen hormone can weaken veins in blood vessels. Therefore, it is important to take it according to the doctor's prescription without abusing it.

In addition to side effects like bleeding, nausea, headaches, bloating, and increased blood pressure which females may face, the pill needs to be taken at specific times of the day, otherwise, the effectiveness can be reduced. However, this is not always easy to control as it can easily be forgotten or might be difficult to take in front of friends. "We already have our periods to consider, which is already expensive,” said a young female in her late 20s.

 

Other reasons contraceptives might be prescribed for females

But aside from this, many have to take contraceptives as a form of hormone control. For example, the Mirena procedure can be performed for those women who want long-term reliable contraception, to reduce menstrual flow and menstrual period, to treat hypermenorrhea and dysmenorrhea, and those with iron deficiency who need contraception.

Most recently, the Ministry of Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning for retinoid-based drugs like isotretinoin to treat psoriasis, eczema, and acne that require contraceptives during pregnancy to avoid the risk of fetal defects.

An official from the MFDS said, "We will continue to educate and promote experts and patients for the safe use of retinoid drugs, and strengthen our risk management system.”

 

How do other countries address contraception?

Colombia removed all taxes on female products, including contraceptives. In 2022, women under the age of 26 in France were granted free contraception including consultations with doctors and medical procedures with their chosen contraceptive. However, as of this month, they expanded this to include free condoms for both males and females under the age of 26 and emergency contraception for all women to help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Luxembourg is pretty similar but offers contraceptives without age limits under the guidance of a physician. Meanwhile, in New Zealand’s case, menstruation products are free and contraceptives are subsidized by insurance.

Although Korea’s national health insurance system covers contraceptives for medical issues associated with menstruation like menorrhagia, dysmenorrhea, or other hormonal diseases, personal reasons for use are not covered like in the aforementioned countries. This is unlikely to change as it can work against Korea’s already low birth rate, say experts in the medical community.

Presently, the issue is mainly directed toward women but with the possible introduction of male contraceptives a few years down the road, policies can likely be affected again. As it stands, women are most times left to shoulder the burden alone due to a lack of options. Although the approval of this medicine does not guarantee that it will create a shift towards shared contraceptive responsibility, it is a good place to start nevertheless.

 

 

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