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Image / Editorial

Men Bail On Birth Control Research Due To Mood Swings And Acne


By Niamh ODonoghue
01st Nov 2016
Men Bail On Birth Control Research Due To Mood Swings And Acne

Vital research into the effectiveness of the male birth control pill has had to be cut short after participants dropped out of the trial because of mood swings, acne, and a decline in libido.

The study which has been researching the efficacy and safety of an injectable combination hormonal contraceptive for men recruited?20 men over a 56 week period. However,?20 men have since dropped out following the negative side effects.?Should we give them the benefit of the doubt? (No).

The groundbreaking research found that the injection is proving to be hugely lucrative; coming out with a 96 percent success rate (which is amazing news for us!!). In saying that, even though the success rate was extremely high, it still did not reach the 99.9 percent efficiency rate of the female birth control pill according to Broadly?.

Both men and women are responsible for preventing pregnancy, yet the heavy burden and responsibility’more-often-than-not falls onto the women. Although there is a broad range of birth control available – from the oral pill, the bar, the coil, and the injection – they come with worrying side effects, and long-term use of any contraceptive method can have?profound side effects. Just last month, this Danish study confirmed the link between long-term oral contraceptive use and depression in women.

Although the male pill is not a new endeavor (with clinical trials dating back to the 1920’s) it is a welcomed one?and would mean that women would be able to allow their bodies to regulate without the addition of?artificial?hormones, but one question remains: can we place our trust in men for contraception?