For the first time in history of birth control, a male contraceptive in the form of a pill or nasal spray has been developed by researchers. The contraceptive will function by making him infertile, and its effect will be reversible, lasting for a few days. The pill has to be consumed or sprayed by the man just prior to mating.
Developed by researchers from UK's Wolverhampton University, along with Portuguese scientists, the male birth control pill or nasal spray functions by making the sperm immobile for some days as it is a reversible contraceptive. This sperm immobility will prevent them from swimming and suspend their chances of fertilising the egg.
"The results are startling – and almost instant. When you take healthy sperm and add our compound, within a few minutes the sperm basically cannot move," Professor John Howl, the lead researcher, was quoted as saying by esquire.co.uk.
John Guillebaud, a professor of family planning and reproductive health at the University College London, revealed some of the advantages of this male contraceptive. He told the Daily Mail that this invention would be a boon for women who cannot have an I-pill due to health-related issues, such as classic migraine, which can raise the risk of blood clots if the pill is taken by the woman.
"It would also help men who want to have control over their own fertility – for example, to ensure they do not get trapped into having a child by a woman who says she is on the Pill, but isn't," he added.
The male contraceptive is expected to hit the markets by 2021, as any new drug is launched in the market three to five years after it's confirmed safe following trials on animals.
