Male birth control options are finally becoming reality after decades of research.
Unfortunately, many men remain hesitant about taking on contraceptive responsibility despite the availability of new methods. Several promising options are in clinical trials, including hormonal gels that could receive FDA approval by 2027 and non-hormonal pills that have already passed safety tests in humans. Yet, resistance persists among many men, often for reasons that reveal deeper attitudes about gender roles and reproductive responsibility.
1. Multiple male birth control options are now in development.
As of 2024, two hormonal male contraceptive methods were undergoing phase II clinical trials, including a large-scale international trial of transdermal segesterone acetate plus testosterone gel that enrolled over 460 couples. These trials are expected to complete by late 2024, bringing male contraceptives closer to market availability.
A hormone-free pill called YCT-529 has successfully completed phase 1 clinical trials and is currently undergoing safety and efficacy testing in a second trial, with researchers reporting no significant side effects in initial human testing. This represents a major breakthrough, since previous attempts at male hormonal contraception were often abandoned due to side effect concerns.
2. The current options for men are extremely limited.
Currently, men have only two contraceptive options: condoms and vasectomies, leaving women to bear the sole burden of hormonal contraceptives since the 1960s. This massive inequality in reproductive responsibility has persisted for decades while researchers struggled to develop safe, effective alternatives for men.
Researchers estimate that between 7-15.5 million reproductive-age men in the US are potential users of novel male contraceptives, suggesting significant unmet demand. The market extends beyond just current condom users to include couples practicing dual-partner contraception and those whose female partners may discontinue their current methods.
3. Many men view contraception as “women’s work.”
Previous studies suggest resistance among some men to taking on the primary role for contraception, with the social framing of pregnancy prevention as “feminine” or a “women’s issue,” making some men reluctant to even discuss contraception with their female partners. This attitude treats reproductive health as fundamentally women’s responsibility.
However, surveys show that three-quarters of men report willingness to use new male contraceptives, particularly those with more gender-equitable attitudes. This suggests that resistance may be concentrated among men with more traditional views about gender roles, rather than being universal.
4. Side effects have derailed previous attempts.
A major WHO-commissioned study was stopped in 2016 after men reported side effects like mood swings and acne, despite the injection being 96% effective at preventing pregnancy. This decision was particularly controversial, since women have long endured similar or worse side effects from hormonal birth control.
Health sociology professor Louise Keogh noted that the pattern for male contraceptive trials seems to be: “They get to trial, then there are reported side effects and a ‘delayed return of fertility’, then they give up on it.” The bar for acceptable side effects appears much lower for male contraceptives than it has historically been for female ones.
5. Double standards exist around acceptable side effects.
Some researchers have found men are resistant to side effects that are similar to the ones caused by female birth control medications. Women have long accepted risks including blood clots, mood changes, weight gain, and decreased libido as the price of preventing pregnancy.
Male contraceptives tested in clinical trials often target testosterone, which can lead to adverse events including mood changes, weight gain, and sexual dysfunction. In other words, side effects commonly experienced by women on hormonal birth control. Yet, these same effects are often deemed unacceptable when they occur in men.
6. Newer approaches aim to avoid hormonal side effects.
The YCT-529 pill works by blocking a vitamin A metabolite from binding to receptors in the testes, preventing sperm production without affecting testosterone levels, and early trials show no effects on heart rate, mood, blood parameters, or sex drive. This non-hormonal approach could eliminate the side effects that have derailed previous attempts.
Other methods in development include Plan A, a non-hormonal, reversible contraceptive that lasts 10 years and uses a hydrogel filter to stop sperm movement, expected to enter clinical trials in 2025. These mechanical approaches avoid the systemic effects that have made hormonal methods problematic for some men.
7. Men with progressive attitudes are more willing to use contraception.
Research shows that men’s willingness to use novel male contraceptives is strongly correlated with increasingly gender-equitable attitudes. Men who support equal responsibility in relationships are much more likely to be interested in male birth control options. National surveys suggest American attitudes may be changing, with more men taking on traditional caretaking roles previously occupied by women—for example, the proportion of fathers who reported not working to take care of home/family rose from 4% to 24% from 1989-2016.
This generational change could increase acceptance of male contraception, at least in the States. In the UK, we’re already faring slightly better, with a roughly a third of men saying in a YouGov poll that they’d be open to taking the “male pill” if it came to market. Whether or not they’d actually follow through on that, of course, remains to be seen.
8. Financial barriers have slowed development.
After decades of early-stage attempts and failures, there are no federally approved male birth control drugs, not because approaches haven’t shown potential, but because there hasn’t been enough funding or financial investment to complete expensive advanced human trials. Pharmaceutical companies have been reluctant to invest in male contraceptive research.
Big trials usually require significant investment, and researchers are hopeful they’ll get interest from pharmaceutical companies as positive results emerge. The lack of commercial backing has been a major obstacle to bringing male contraceptives to market, despite promising early research.
9. Clinical trials require committed couples.
Because of pregnancy risk, male participants in contraceptive trials must be in committed, monogamous relationships and need consent from their female partners, with couples agreeing to use the experimental method as their only birth control for up to a year. This requirement limits the pool of potential research participants.
The need for long-term committed partnerships in trials also means that casual dating scenarios, where male contraception could be particularly valuable, aren’t being adequately studied in current research protocols.
10. Political climate could affect approval processes in the US.
Male birth control has the advantage of being completely separate from the argument about abortion, but Trump’s nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is poised to overhaul the FDA just as new treatments seek approval. The changing political landscape could either help or hinder the approval process for new male contraceptives.
Conservative roadmap Project 2025 threatens access to birth control for women, but male birth control might be viewed differently by policymakers. The separation from abortion politics could work in favour of male contraceptive development and approval. Thankfully, while there are smaller pockets of protest in the UK, our cultural landscape is more supportive of responsible birth control.
11. Demand has increased since abortion restrictions.
Interest in male birth control has been on the rise since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, with recent research showing increased numbers of young men and women choosing permanent birth control options like vasectomy. Reduced access to abortion has made pregnancy prevention more critical for many couples.
Approximately 50% of US men aged 18-49 who have sex with women and do not wish to father a pregnancy express high levels of interest in novel male contraceptives. This suggests substantial market demand once safe, effective options become available.
12. Healthcare providers need preparation.
Research shows men want to know which healthcare providers they would obtain hormonal male contraceptives from, indicating the need for clear pathways to access once these methods become available. The healthcare system will need to adapt to serve male contraceptive users.
Dr. Brian Nguyen, who’s been involved in clinical trials, looks forward to seeing male contraceptives bring more equality to birth control, noting that men in close partnerships are very aware when their female partners experience pain, bleeding, or mood changes from contraception. Healthcare providers will play a crucial role in normalising male contraceptive use.
13. Success depends on changing cultural attitudes.
Surveys show that 75% of women believe both partners should be equally responsible for pregnancy prevention, but this shared responsibility is often more dream than reality. Cultural change needs to accompany technological advancement for male contraception to be widely adopted.
The resistance some men show to contraceptive responsibility reveals deeper issues about gender roles and reproductive autonomy. Until contraception is viewed as a shared responsibility rather than a women’s issue, even the safest and most effective male birth control methods may face adoption barriers that have nothing to do with their medical properties.
