Since the leak of the Dobbs v. Jackson decision in May 2022 and eventual overturn of Roe v. Wade in June 2022, abortion access has been at the forefront of many people's minds. Innovative tech and advocacy groups have been leading the charge in filling the ever-widening gaps in access throughout the U.S. Alongside these developments, we have been following other major strides in reproductive health access – contraception.
Contraception provides an important safety net for people around the world, leading to decreased unintended pregnancies, increased autonomy, and enables people to plan for their family, or lack thereof. Hormonal contraception was approved by the FDA in 1960; since then each new innovation in hormonal contraception and long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs) like IUDs have had one thing in common: they were only made for use in female populations. In contrast, male contraception options (not including withdrawal, which is considered not to be effective) have been limited to:
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Condoms
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Vasectomy
Is that on the cusp of changing? New reproductive innovations are now on the horizon, with progress finally being made for male contraception:
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Male birth control pill: In development, with promising results in mice test subjects
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Male birth control gel: In development, with last clinical trial in 2018
Following the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, the need for contraception has only increased, with women expected to handle the additional responsibility. And while we are moving towards new contraception options for men, the question remains: Will they use it?
A recent study from University of Southern California found that among Black men in Southern California, only 35% said they would use hormonal male contraception. Many noted worries about side effects and expressed overall medical distrust and the potential for the Black community being used as “guinea pigs” for male contraception. Outside of this recent study, there are relatively few studies looking at male attitudes and likelihood of taking a male contraception.
With the impending development of a male contraception pill, more research on male attitudes and uptake would help prepare for the future rollout. With reproductive rights on the defensive in America right now, this could make huge strides towards better reproductive equity.