When it comes to dealing with contraception, the primary responsibility tends to fall on the woman; and this is especially true in monogamous and married relationships where barrier protection is given up, as there is no longer a perceived need to protect oneself from partner transmitted infections. When it comes to simply preventing pregnancy with hormonal birth control methods, women often have the final say – as they should – as they are the ones who have to use the method and deal with potential side effects and pitfalls. For decades now, men have been happily going along with this arrangement, as they have not been the ones needing to remember the medication every day or getting shots to avoid becoming with child. Well, guys, the freedom from managing this issue may be coming to an end in the near future, as male birth control solutions are under way and could be coming to a nearby pharmacy counter very soon. Learn what this new form of contraception could mean for the future of intimacy and its impact on a man’s reproductive health.

Male Birth Control: Fact or Fiction?

That’s right, ladies around the world may soon be breathing a sigh of relief, or even greeting their partners with a smug smile that says it’s his turn to worry about birth control for a while. Researchers have long toyed with the idea of a male contraceptive, and the science is slowly starting to catch up with the fantasy. While recent versions have not yet been tested on human males, they have made it to the animal testing phase with some success on male mice.

How would this work?

Biologically speaking, it is more difficult to control the fertility of men compared to women – simply because female contraception need only prevent the release and implantation of one female egg every month. A male version would have to keep millions of seed in check every single day – it is estimated that men produce about 1,500 seed cells every second! So it is easy to see how much more complicated the prospect of male birth control is.

The current research is aimed at stopping the transportation of the seed from point A to point B – rather than decreasing the production of seed - as that would essentially cause infertility. Men hoping to go down that road would fare better from a one-time vasectomy -- which has long been tried and true. Instead, researchers are focusing on a male hormone that is present in the body at the time of climax and sends a signal to the seed saying it’s time to get a move on. By pinpointing that hormone, researchers hope that they can stop the release of seed and thus create the first ever male-specific contraception.

Maintaining Male Reproductive health

While it will likely be several years before male birth control is available to consumers, the possibility of it looks very real. The good news is, there will be no lasting side effects to men who use birth control, and with a doctor’s prescription, it can be added to his current reproductive health routine with ease. A routine that should already include the following: regular physicals with a doctor, a thorough daily hygiene regimen, and consistent use of barrier protection to protect the male organ from intimate infections and other issues.

To amp up the hygiene routine to the next level, men should also use a daily male organ health cream (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil) that is enriched with targeted vitamins, nutrients and soothing emollients to help maximize male organ health and function.