Are male contraceptives still up for debate? Expert says it works "perfectly well", so why the delay?

What was made to feel as a simple choice, suddenly feels like a gamble.

As you open a new box of pills, out falls a tiny pamphlet of information. Every time you think you have reached the end, another crease unfolds, blooming an origami of health warnings, potential side effects, and precautions.

Your eyes don't know where to start, but rapidly words like "blood clots", "mood swings", "weight gain", "irregular bleeding", "potential breast cancer", leap out of the sea of clinical text.

For over 60 years, Australian women have been juggling the overwhelming side effects of contraceptive methods such as pills, injections, and implants.

But how about their male counterparts? When is it their turn to "be careful"?

The female contraceptive pill was first introduced to the Australian market in 1961 and has continuously been improved with other contraceptive methods gaining popularity.

Hidden in the shadows, research and trials have been going underway to find adequate male contraceptive methods. But what is taking so long for a male option to enter the market?

In a 2024 interview, Professor Robert McLachlan, an endocrinologist and leader in male hormonal contraceptive research said the reason for the delay in male contraceptive options is not due to unresolved science. Instead, McLachlan pinned it on a lack of pharmaceutical funding linked to deep-rooted societal and geopolitical issues.

"Unfortunately, nothing much has changed in the past 30 years," he said.

"Except we do know, spoiler alert, that it works perfectly well."

Male contraception is split into two categories: non-hormonal and hormonal solutions.

The hormonal solutions refer to slowing or stopping the sperm production by interfering with hormones that regulate it. While non-hormonal solutions target sperm production in terms of its movement out of the body or its ability to function without significantly affecting hormone levels.

Professor McLachlan began his work in the 1980's, years after the male contraceptive pill was first suggested, and believes the science successfully prevents pregnancy just like the equivalent for women.

During that decade, research into the use of testosterone to reduce sperm numbers had begun. These studies included weekly injections where the participants' sperm counts dropped to "almost zero" and pregnancy rates were equivalent to the existing contraceptives. However, side effects like acne, weight gain and mood swings - symptoms many women are still familiar with today, led to the sudden halt of the study.

A simple change in formula involved lowering the testosterone dose and adding progesterone, slashing sperm counts in 95 per cent of men to a near zero. In a report on the study, Professor McLachlan said this delivered reasonable contraceptive-level protection.

The success of this hormone combination led to the World Health Organisation (WHO) sponsoring an international study involving over 300 male participants in monogamous relationships who began receiving an injection containing the two hormones every 10 weeks.

However, some participants reported mood changes, acne, and pain at the injection site, which resulted in the WHO concluding the study as the "risks outweighed the potential benefits".

A 7NEWS TikTok video has gained significant online traction as young men from the streets of Sydney were asked if they would be willing to take the pill.

Some interviewees pondered the side effects and risks they would potentially encounter, which led to many women with lived experience flooding the comment section with sarcastic and furious responses.

At 16, the contraceptive pill became part of my daily routine. Now, years later, I have traded it for the Implanon - a discreet implant that works for 3 years that is considered one of the most reliable options in the market.

The catch? For some women, it triggers incessant bleeding. So far, I have escaped that fate, earning the title of "lucky" from my doctor.

Though men nowadays claim they are willing to take contraception, women now ask themselves whether they can trust their male counterparts in upholding such a personal and critical responsibility.

However, an international study conducted over 2 decades ago revealed women in long-term relationships are more likely to trust their male partner with the responsibility of taking contraception.

But what about the women who part-take in casual sex?

Although evidence suggests men are becoming increasingly inclined in sharing the duty, the sudden force of the "manosphere" has undeniably become a direct threat to the social acceptability and overall development of male contraception.

The manosphere is a term for a network of online communities claiming to address male livelihood, such as dating, fitness, and fatherhood, but in-turn promotes violent and harmful ideologies on the premise that feminism and gender equality have stricken men of their masculinity.

This community targets young men and promotes the idea that emotional control, material wealth, physical appearance and dominance, especially over women, determine a man's worth.

A 2023 study found that 40 per cent of American male adults said they trust one or more "men's rights", anti-feminist or pro-violence influencers from the manosphere.

Experts say younger men are more likely to hold stereotypical views on gender roles compared to older men, with two-thirds of adolescent males regularly engaging with masculinity influencers online, often viewing content that normalises violence against women and girls, due to its extreme language and teachings.

How much longer will traditional gender roles create barriers in developing a male contraceptive method?

The pill entered the Australian market almost 65 years ago with multiple options becoming available for women, yet not a single non-invasive or surgical possibility has been created for men.

For now, it remains unclear when women will finally receive equality in healthcare and have their shoulders freed from the sole burden of contraceptive responsibility.