The Male Contraceptive Injection...

Amz

I've been involved in a few debates on various forums about the male contraceptive injection which last week received a lot of publicity.

I was angered by the attitudes of a lot of people (mainly men) to this news. These people were ignoring many of the actual facts about this new "product"

For example the seemed to home in on the fact that it inhibits the production of sperm (they were worried about what would happen when the man ceased taking the injection i.e. would sperm producton return to the level it was at prior to them taking it)
They were very worried about the drop in libido.. (I can understand this fear but in fairness a lot of them don't need any injection/pill for that to happen)

They all (without exception) ignored the fact that it had only gone trough phase one testing.
That the original developers were waiting for a commercial entity to purchase the patent and thus develop a more user friendly version of the drug which would prove to be more appealing to the average male i.e. one which did not affect libido.
They seemed of the belief that the drug which was being discussed was now being marketed and couldn't understand why they would put such a thing out there!

Many of the men I spoke to about this argued that they didn't like messing about with the natural hormonal production in their bodies but seemed perfectly happy to allow their girlfriends etc to be on some form of contraceptive pill/injection.

I personally feel that when this male contraceptive does become available on the market place that it will be a very welcome advance in the area.

[edit] I meant to ask a question here... How do you feel about the male contraceptive? Do you think it's something that will be embraced when it has completed all the phases of testing and would you trust it to do exactly what it says on the tin? [/edit]

Also on a related note I suppose...
Did anyone see the panorama programme about the Catholic Church telling people in third world countries that condoms actually give them HIV and AIDS?
They're using the fact that the people they preach to are in the main uneducated and they're targeting an issue which is close to home for many people in these third world countries. I think it's disgusting that the Church is doing this and this is another example of their corruption and I feel that the WHO are perfectly right to pull them up on it.

Apologies for lack of coherance I'm tired and typed this on the spur of the moment hehe Will come back and edit it when I'm fully awake

ecksor

I'm not sure this is the right forum for this discussion ...

Originally posted by Amz
Many of the men I spoke to about this argued that they didn't like messing about with the natural hormonal production in their bodies but seemed perfectly happy to allow their girlfriends etc to be on some form of contraceptive pill/injection.

I'd not be keen on anything that messed with my hormone levels. By the same reasoning, I wouldn't expect anyone I was going out with to take a contraceptive pill if they didn't want to either. I have yet to go out with anyone that I have to "allow" to do anything. People can make their own choices.

Amz

I don't think anyone is happy about messing with their bodies natural chemistry. It just irritated me when some of the people argued that it's "diferent for women" and when I asked how? they couldn't tell me.

When I say allow I mean they wouldn't ever wonder what the contraceptive pill is doing to their mate's physiology.

Heck! I was even encouraged by a guy I had started to see to check out the pill and to start trying it out. He was so ignorant to the whole contraceptive thing that there was no way I was going to take something to keep him happy when at the end of the day I wouldn't have been. His argument was that his little sister was taking them so why couldn't I. This same guy however tried so see if a condom would fit over his two hands... needless to say contraception wasn't a real issue after that...

ecksor

Originally posted by Amz
When I say allow I mean they wouldn't ever wonder what the contraceptive pill is doing to their mate's physiology.

physiologically I have only a very simplistic idea of what it does, but I've seen the mad effect it can have on mood, hence I wouldn't expect anyone to take it if they didn't want to.

No matter what you're dealing with, there are set ideas and notions that most people have bought into and haven't really thought about. This is just another example.

GuanYin

The male pill in phase one testing is supplimented with testosterone which should offset any libido loss.

It also has the happy side effect of ensuring your don't develop breasts! (although some men may not mind, or leave the house).

All in all, people are jumping the gun (Did I make a smutty pun?) with this male pill. Media have as per usual, hyped this up without all the facts.

Clinical Waste

Originally posted by Amz

Also on a related note I suppose...
Did anyone see the panorama programme about the Catholic Church telling people in third world countries that condoms actually give them HIV and AIDS?
They're using the fact that the people they preach to are in the main uneducated and they're targeting an issue which is close to home for many people in these third world countries. I think it's disgusting that the Church is doing this and this is another example of their corruption and I feel that the WHO are perfectly right to pull them up on it.

F**king catholic church needs to be more accountable for its actions.

I think the church should be made to subsidise HIV medications to the third world.

Sarky

When all is said and done, would a net drop in the world's male libido be such a bad thing? It might cut out that horrible culture of laddishness, for one...

seamus

Originally posted by Amz
This same guy however tried so see if a condom would fit over his two hands... needless to say contraception wasn't a real issue after that...

lmao

In fairness, I've spoken to many women who prefer taking the pill because it makes them more regular (in the menstrual sense) and have massively reduced period pains. Many doctors even recommend going on the pill as treatment for such pains.

Us men have no such pains, and nothing to 'regulate'. As a matter of fact, the thought of any kind of change in libido scares us. We like being hornbags.

I don't think there's any reason that women should us the pill over men, but it just seems that a) Many many women prefer taking the pill and b) many many women wouldn't trust the contraception responsibilities to the men

scojones

Originally posted by seamus
lmao

In fairness, I've spoken to many women who prefer taking the pill because it makes them more regular (in the menstrual sense) and have massively reduced period pains. Many doctors even recommend going on the pill as treatment for such pains.

I don't think there's any reason that women should us the pill over men, but it just seems that a) Many many women prefer taking the pill and b) many many women wouldn't trust the contraception responsibilities to the men

That's exactly right. I know alot of girls that aren't active and who take the pill to ease their pains. And every girl i've talked to about this exact topic said they would never trust a guy to take the pill. They don't think we'll remember to take it.
As for the injection - i wouldn't mess with my body that way!

sunbeam

Originally posted by sjones
That's exactly right. I know alot of girls that aren't active and who take the pill to ease their pains.

And many also take specific versions of the pill for other medical reasons e.g. to counteract existing hormone imbalances.

Many doctors recommend using another method of contraception in addition to some pills prescribed for that purpose as they may have adverse effects on a foetus should pregnancy occur.

Capt'n Midnight

I'm sure everyone has heard of the male morning after pill ?
It changes your blood group..

GuanYin

Originally posted by Capt'n Midnight
I'm sure everyone has heard of the male morning after pill ?
It changes your blood group..

Hehe, curses, it took me a minute to get that and I was about to go look up a text book

DriftingRain

and b) many many women wouldn't trust the contraception responsibilities to the men

Hahahah You got that right!

I am on a new type of BirthControl Pill that is somewhat new here in the states. I have been on the pill for 9 years. I've had very regular cycles since and a whole lot less pain. All this is true.

The main issue here is birth control. SO... Do you want a child? The male that is out a whoring so to speak with no one set relationship and not knowing his partners (birth control regament)very well.....This would be a good idea to protect himself. I am not saying condoms don't have the same effect. as they can save you from HIV and such, but it still is a great idea to give the male the same oppertunities as a woman has on contraception.... Never knock an insight on science till you look at all sides. Hope that gives insight to some male perspective.....

~DR~

Beëlzebooze

Originally posted by Capt'n Midnight
I'm sure everyone has heard of the male morning after pill ?
It changes your blood group..

I hate the fact that I'm going to have to ask.....but I don't get it.

Obviously there is no such thing as a male MA pill, but I still don't get it, what are you refering to?

seamus

Originally posted by Beëlzebooze
I hate the fact that I'm going to have to ask.....but I don't get it.

Obviously there is no such thing as a male MA pill, but I still don't get it, what are you refering to?

So if they do a blood test, they won't be able to prove you're the father......................

Crash

Actually the main problem i see with it is, as someone posted above, most women wouldn't trust their men to take it. Simple fact is a)if its something concerning your own body and pregnancy, no matter how much you trust somebody are you willing to let that control over your own body out of your hands?
and b)To men it won't be seen the same way. While no guy wants to be a father until they're ready I think with someone taking this male pill/injection it would be a very difficult idea to think of and visualise. It'd be a lot less REAL to a guy than to a girl.

simu

To men it won't be seen the same way. While no guy wants to be a father until they're ready I think with someone taking this male pill/injection it would be a very difficult idea to think of and visualise. It'd be a lot less REAL to a guy than to a girl.

Not really - they'd get used to the idea - it's not that hard to visualise a screaming, demanding baby - everyone knows at least one person who has ended up becoming a parent unexpectedly.

I think it would be cool - if I were a man, it would freak me out that any woman i slept with could turn up with a baby in her arms nine months later!

seamus

Originally posted by simu
Not really - they'd get used to the idea - it's not that hard to visualise a screaming, demanding baby - everyone knows at least one person who has ended up becoming a parent unexpectedly.

I think it would be cool - if I were a man, it would freak me out that any woman i slept with could turn up with a baby in her arms nine months later!

You'd think, wouldn't you?

But no. Everybody is still a slave to their biology. Women know that their primary (evolutionary) purpose is to conceive and nurture a child. Men are designed to impregnate as many women as possible. Women may get pregnant, but that's the point. Women may not want to get pregnant, and men may not want to have kids, but to most men (who haven't already had kids), kids are still a minor inconvenience. Women, whether they've had kids or not, know that its a life-changing experience.

IMO, and being male, evolution wins. Even if we're piss poor, and we don't love the girl, impregnation is a cause for celebration. That's not to say I don't do my utmost to use contraception, just that evolution makes me weak, and more lax about conceiving (as it does all men).

simu

Everybody is still a slave to their biology.

No, humans are clever enough to find ways around some of the more annoying aspects of biology.

Women know that their primary (evolutionary) purpose is to conceive and nurture a child.

I don't agree. The species as a whole has to survive but ppl can help the species without actually reproducing, they can contribute in many other ways too. What about all the non-fertile women and post-menopausal women ?

That's not to say I don't do my utmost to use contraception, just that evolution makes me weak, and more lax about conceiving (as it does all men).

You're using an over-simplified view of evolution to justify some people acing like irresponsible idiots.

seamus

Originally posted by simu
No, humans are clever enough to find ways around some of the more annoying aspects of biology.

Agreed, but as you say, we only 'get around' these aspects, they still exist, so some of the time, for most people, biology takes over, regardless of how intelligent or 'in control' you may think you are.

I don't agree. The species as a whole has to survive but ppl can help the species without actually reproducing, they can contribute in many other ways too. What about all the non-fertile women and post-menopausal women ?

That really has nothing to do with the context of what I was saying. I'm talking at a biological level, not at society level. The basic biological purpose of all life is to procreate. Non-fertile women are of no consquence to evolution. Post-menopasual women may already have had children.

You're using an over-simplified view of evolution to justify some people acing like irresponsible idiots.

Even as you say above, we have control a lot of the time. There is no excuse for being blatantly irresponsible.

My whole point is that for women, the chance of there being an unplanned child in the near future is an overriding and very real factor. Men are a little more detached from that, and naturally more careless. Again, I'm not making excuses for people being idiots, just stating a fact.

Par example - Most women, if they missed a day on the pill, would inform their spouse/partner, and spend the next month being super-careful.
Most men, if they missed day of this injection thing would shrug and say "Ah sure it'll be grand".

That's just the way it is.

simu

I see what you mean. It's more when you said:

Even if we're piss poor, and we don't love the girl, impregnation is a cause for celebration.

. When you shoot your load into someone (putting it crudely), it feels good for obvious reasons (or so males have informed me!) but a man could easily never hear about a child he had fathered and yes, it does seem quite remote so I think that any slight tendency towards thinking "Wow, I've managed to reproduce" would be totally overwritten by thoughts like "Oh sh**, what mess have I got myself into, how do I maintain my cozy consumer lifestyle with some bloody baby making demands on my income" etc. In other words, it would be a pain and probably most young guys know someone who ended up like this and shudder at the thought.

Anyway, I'm repeating myself...

Men are a little more detached from that, and naturally more careless. Again, I'm not making excuses for people being idiots, just stating a fact. Par example - Most women, if they missed a day on the pill, would inform their spouse/partner, and spend the next month being super-careful. Most men, if they missed day of this injection thing would shrug and say "Ah sure it'll be grand".

This is kinda what I was getting at, in fact. I think many women are as removed from the reality of contraception as the men you are describing. I have so many female friends who have taken ridiculous chances with (or more to the point, without) contraception - taking the morning after pill a few times a month just because they couldn't be bothered getting condoms, trying premature withdrawal or even showering afterwards (I kid you not!) instead of using a proper contraceptive method - they are educated and they know that this is dodgy stuff but they pretend things will be ok and feel they are safe just because they got away with it a few times before. And a lot of the time, their boyfriends never hear much about it. It's cool that some women are super careful, but this isn't always so.

So, moral of the story: both sides should take care of it, guys shouldn't presume girls are on the pill, girls shouldn't think that it's the guy who should mention contraception at the right moment, that it should always be the guy who carries condoms etc and I really think they should emphasise the importance of both partners taking care in sex-ed classes and in the media.

You always get muppets who ignore all advice but the more contraceptive options are available for ppl, the better.