Have you ever wondered why it is normalized for women to take hormones with adverse side effects to protect against pregnancy and men are not? Or questioned why there is no birth control option for men other than condoms? These are questions that I have pondered about for a couple of years. Personally, I have been struggling with a variety of side effects from birth control pills such as, depression, head aches, nausea, weight gain, and mood swings. These symptoms and more are very common for people who are on hormonal birth control.
What I don’t understand is how it takes two people to make a baby, yet women are the ones who have to sacrifice their health to protect against a pregnancy.
When researching male birth control options these were the most common methods:
- Condoms
- Spermicide
- Vasectomy
- Withdrawal (Pulling Out)
Condoms, specifically, are either a make or break for sexually active couples, and I mean literally. Condoms can break during intercourse, resulting in an unwanted pregnancy. There are also many people who are allergic to latex. Condoms may work fine for some, but definitely not all.
Now, lets compare that list to the birth control options for women:
- Implant (a small rod put under the skin)
- IUD (intrauterine device, contraceptive device that is put into the uterus)
- Shot (given by a doctor or nurse every 3 month)
- Patch (worn on the skin and replaced once a week)
- Ring (put in the vagina and replaced once a month)
- Birth control pills (taken every day)
It is important to note that no where on the list for males is a birth control option that can have severe side effects on their physical and mental health. There are so many birth control options for women with varying side effects and none for men. Let’s talk about it.
There have been efforts to produce a male contraception option, but none have ever come to the market. In one of the most recent studies done in 2016, this clinical trial tested an injectable combination hormonal contraceptive in a group of 320 healthy volunteers aged 18–45 years. The study concluded that the contraceptive was effective in reducing sperm production, but cautioned that it was linked to “frequency of reported moderate and severe mood disorders including depression.”
Despite the effectiveness of reducing sperm productions and overall safety, it never made it to the market. Apparently, the participants mentioned that they were unwilling to put up with the side effects.
However, when women are experiencing depression and mood disorders from their contraception pills the companies don’t take them off the market? Why are we expected to suffer the side effects when men have the option to opt out of taking it / bringing it to the market?
It seems to me that the pharmaceutical companies producing the birth control care more about men’s health than they do women. This is a severe problem that we as a society need to fix.
The complete lack of birth control options for men just doesn’t sit right with me, and to be honest its just unfair.
ShoutOut! James Madison University 