Male birth control? Yes or no?

I voted on behalf of me and my male partner.

There are options being researched for hormonal male birth control. In fact, the drug medroxy-progesterone (an ingredient in some female hormonal birth control) is used to "chemically castrate" sex offenders in Poland. The problem with using MPA in males in birth control is that it is extremely inconsistent. MPA does not cause azoospermia (complete absence of sperm in ejaculate) in all men, and there's no way to predict who it would and wouldn't work in.

It would honestly work better as a birth control via the side effect of a decreased libido because it reduces the production of testosterone. Did you know about that lovely little pearl?

Birth control is not sexist; it's just been a more immediate concern that a woman has control over her own uterus.

I feel that birth control is actually very sexist (in America anyway). I'm almost 50 years old and I can tell you that no one in the medical society even bothered to try coming up with any male birth control until years after they'd been screwing up females' systems with it. It was a "woman's problem."

I can't even imagine that they will find something that doesn't adversely affect a mans health or libido. I'm not going anywhere near this - and I'll be advising my son to stay away as well.

I do not believe that that was the point of the thread. I believe that it was speaking in future tense when it's made actually usable.

If there is a safe and effective male hormonal birth control made available it would be cool. Though I think it would be almost impossible to make one that didn't have very undesirable side effects.

Until then, is it really so bad to use condoms? People complain about them so much, but my partner and I don't mind them at all.

Yeah, it's a "what if" or "when" situation.

I would love to take male birth control. Do you know how many men are trapped because they trusted someone they shouldn't have and now have kids they didn't want and can't get rid of?

HA! Yes, I never disagree with condoms (preferred, always, to either my little girl or me taking pills). Like any pill though, there are undesired effects (ever hear commercials? May cause this, this, this and that). Birth control for women are the same (irregular periods, etc.)

Of course there would be a percentage of guys who would go for this based on one item of logic:
Some women experience increased breast size while on hormonal b/c. That might carry over to increased penis size.

ok, more flawgic than logic...

Yea...not so much.

Would you trust a male to take a birth control pill every day or a shot every few months.?

Women have more to lose.....a man lies and a woman gets stuck carrying an internal obligate parasite for 9 months and then having to care for the child till it leaves the nest (which in Hawaiian families is never).

Did you ever encourage your wife to take hormonal birth control? Have you told her to stay away from it as well? If not I would find this very hypocritical.

I'm not sure I picked the right one

I think one should be available, but my husband and I wouldn't use it. Although I think it would have been an option we would have considered when we still had to worry about birth control.

There are plenty of times that women lie to force the man into staying with her ("We have a baby now, you can't leave me!").

And there are plenty of men that leave anyway...

I agree, but don't think it can compare. A man doesn't have to go through a pregnancy or choose to abort it. A man doesn't have to suffer social stigma from the choices of adoption or abortion.

That's sexist, no? To think that only women "suffer" from pregnancy.

They are the ones who physically suffer and the ones who bear the most stigma, so I would say it's fair.

I agree that they only physically suffer, but they do not only emotionally suffer. Alas, this is not the topic of the discussion so let us not get upset over it.

In some hypothetical future where there exists male BC whose side effects are comparable to female ones (as in, they're livable if not ideal)? That'd be something to look into. For us? I don't know. I think I'll probably stick with my IUDs for life. Maybe if it had already been an option when I first looked into BC.

I know the state of male BC isn't great right now but I hope it will be some day. I love the idea that people can personally take control of their own lives. Having options or both partners even being on BC certainly has some positives. There are definitely negatives to both the power (IE getting preggo on purpose) and responsibility (being the only responsible person in many situations) that BC has had on females. I think it's ridiculously ignorant to say BC isn't sexist and agree that it's been seen as a "female problem" for far too long.

I've never really thought about a guy not being able to reproduce as emasculating. I would hope that, as a species, we're beyond that. I certainly don't agree with it.

Women are just as forgetful about taking their pills as men would hypothetically be. If someone (of either sex) is truly serious about not trying to have a child then they will be responsible about preventing it. It is up to individuals to take responsibility for their own reproductive choices and not rely on their partner(s) to take a pill, get a shot or bring the condoms.

That said, I think that it's sexist to expect women to endure the possible side effects of birth control. There aren't just side effects while you are on the pill (i.e. irregular periods, mood swings, hormonal issues, blood clots, weight gain, decreased libido, etc.) but also increased risk of developing breast cancer later in life.

The only reason I wouldn't use one now is because there isn't a need to. I've had a tubal ligation.

A vasectomy is an option for men, but (i think) it's more dangerous and not as for sure.

There is some good information here about vasectomy vs. tubal ligation.

Thanks for the link! I love to be educated about things!
I had heard the failure rate for a vasectomy was about 25%...was i wrong!

To be honest, I'd rather a pill or something vs. surgery.

My boyfriend and I have talked about this. His opinion is that first of all, they "need to get their shit together on women's birth control. The stuff you are expected to put up with, for side effects? It's just not right." He went on to say that if they do develop a male BCP that's about on par with what women put up with now, he'd be willing to try it, but he'd be happier if they raised the bar on the side-effects expectations for both genders. But honestly, for the long term? We've had some long talks, and he told me (without my prompting or anything) that he's thinking about a vasectomy once we get married. (I'll be on bc for a long time for other medical reasons)

So, to make a long story short: we both believe that they should develop a pharmacological male birth control, and he'd be willing to take it if necessary.

The rest, about birth control and sexism? We're not gonna touch this topic with a nine foot pole.

I totally agree with your guy LL!

Yeah, we talked about my husband getting a vasectomy. It was just more convenient for me since I had just given birth. Something about my inner reproductive organs being closer to my belly button and making it easier to reach for a laproscopic procedure. One slit in the belly button. Would have been awesome if it weren't for the road map of stretch marks caused by four pregnancies. :p

Thanks! My boyfriend is planning to get this when we get the money. I would like to get endometrial ablation, but have been told I'm "too young."

i voted yes but i wouldn't use it, and that is only becuase i assume it would not enable me to shoot a load.

in this sense it emascualtes me, i dont care about not having kids, thats the point, i just want to shoot a nice WHITE, THICK and CREAMY load.

thats all

I suffer from extreme menstrual cramps and I've heard this, too, could help me, but I'm also told I'm too young, and I don't want any children ever. So they stuck me on birth control and for 2 years I had issues with depression and loss of libido. 4 months off it and I'm still not right and they refuse to do any tests.

Effing doctors....

Plus side is my bf opted to have a vasectomy, he's not keen on having children either and refuses to have me go under the knife only to have more complications. I heard there's not really an age limit for men or a child number, though correct me if I'm wrong.