Birth Control

Researchers have discovered a gene in the testicular tissue in multiple mammals, including humans. Disabling it changed the shape and function of sperm and could lead to an oral contraceptive for men that would only work while it is administered.

When it comes to contraceptives, men typically have to remember to use a condom, or get a difficult-to-reverse vasectomy. There may soon be a new option, however, in the form of injected particles that are magnetically guided to the testes.

Contraceptives like the Pill are only effective if you remember to take them. In an effort to integrate into the lives of women more seamlessly, researchers at Georgia Tech have developed contraceptive patches that can be attached to jewelry.

A fascinating new study has for the first time linked a specific genetic variant with the efficacy of hormone-based birth control treatments. The research suggests birth control may be less effective in women found with this particular gene.

For decades male contraception has been limited to condoms or vasectomies, but there aren’t really any options between those two extremes. In the hunt for a useful middle-ground, a new method has been developed that so far seems to be relatively long-lasting, effective and reversible.

A Phase 2 trial into the efficacy of a male contraceptive gel is about to get underway bringing modern medicine closer than it ever has before to finally developing a male birth control drug, decades after the female contraceptive pill hit the market.

Men have limited options for birth control. Now, researchers have developed a new compound that slows down sperm to the point where they can no longer swim, potentially paving the way for a male contraceptive that doesn’t affect natural hormones and is reversible.

​The race is on to develop a male contraceptive drug similar to that of the female birth control pill.​ The results from a Phase 1 study into the safety and efficacy of a new male birth control pill are promising, revealing the prospective drug to be safe and effective.​

Finding a male contraceptive compound that is safe, effective and reversible has been relatively elusive for scientists, but a new study has revealed that the secret to a male birth control pill may lie in a plant extract that has ancient African origins.

For thousands of years humans have been using a vast array of strange folk contraceptive methods. A team at UC Berkeley recently examined two commonly used traditional plant-based folk remedies and discovered a potentially new mechanism that could lead to non-toxic, non-hormonal contraceptives.

Rats can breed like crazy, so New York City and SenesTech are working to put a stop to that, with a birth control substance called ContraPest that renders both males and females infertile. The method is said to be humane, environmentally friendly and pose no risk to humans, pets and other animals.

Men don’t really have a long-lasting, reversible and convenient contraception option yet, but a new method called Vasalgel could fit the bill. Tests on rhesus monkeys have now shown that it can effectively prevent pregnancy for over a year.