A new male contraceptive pill that effectively stops sperm from swimming could hit the market by 2021.
The remarkably powerful drug was created by scientists at Wolverhampton University and Portugese researchers and takes effect almost instantly, rendering the user infertile for more than 24 hours.
The cell-penetrating peptide compound can be taken in pill or nasal spray and essentially stops the tails of the sperm from moving so they can’t reach a woman’s egg.
Lead researcher Professor John Howl, of Wolverhampton University, told DM:
“The results are startling – and almost instant. When you take healthy sperm and add our compound, within a few minutes the sperm basically cannot move.’
‘This is a totally unique approach – nobody else has ever done this before.”
Family planning experts say the invention could benefit couples where the woman may not be able to use the pill for medical reasons. It would also give men more say over their reproductive health.
John Guillebaud, emeritus professor of family planning and reproductive health at University College, London told the newspaper: ‘It would also help men who want to have control over their own fertility – for example, to ensure they do not get trapped into having a child by a woman who says she is on the Pill, but isn’t.’
What do you think, would you trust your other half to manage the contraception? Let us know on Twitter @HerFamilydotie.
