A form of male birth control has been found to be safe and effective, according to new trial findings. The hormonal birth control gel, which is rubbed on each shoulder blade once daily, could mean men may soon be able to carry the responsibility of birth control. Dr.
Diana Blithe, chief of the Contraceptive Development Program at the National Institutes of Health, said in a news release about the findings : “The development of a safe, highly effective, and reliably reversible contraceptive method for men is an unmet need.” Trump denies plans for birth control ‘ban’ but says he’s open to restrictions First over-the-counter birth control now available at Walgreens and CVS stores Researchers announced their findings at the Endocrine Society’s meeting in Boston on Sunday. Their recent trial included 222 men aged 18 to 50, who all used a small amount of the hormone gel on each shoulder blade daily.
Researchers found that 86 percent of the men had sperm suppression after an average of eight weeks. Blithe said: “While studies have shown that some hormonal agents may be effective for male contraception, the slow onset of spermatogenic suppression is a limitation.” The hormone segesterone acetate, also called Nesterone, is an ingredient of the birth control ring used by women and is meant to keep men from producing sperm without impacting their sex drive.
Researchers also found in the trial that men’s blood testosterone levels stayed low enough to keep their normal s.
