Scientific advances in contraceptive for men

Steve Owens getting birth control had left to his wife, who took the pill. After all, male vasectomy, which he did not, and methods condoms, were the it as: "Well, condoms are condoms."

Then Mr Owens said voluntary to test for potential methods, which reduced his sperm count so much, that "I not degree of interoperability in the ability to produce a child", he. His count recovered weeks after the end of each method, and he had a daughter between research studies.

"I would do male a type of long-term contraceptives, in any case", said Mr Owens, 39-year-old school social worker from Seattle.

Male contraceptives are growing interest pulls from scientists, who believe, that they hold promise as a safe, effective and, as important, reversible.

"We have a number of iron in the fire," said Diana L. Blythe, program director for contraceptive development for the National Institute of child health and human development. "I think that men actually want to do this."

During the male contraception studies been before meets the strict no way safety and effectiveness criteria, to do the female methods. It was also not clear whether men would use.

Now, scientific advances producing approaches that could be passed to pattern. Asked by women's organizations, global health groups and surveys are that men are receptive, Federal agencies research funding. At a Conference of October by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation sponsored some methods are presented.

"Male contraception is a critical region", said Jenny Sorensen, a foundation spokeswoman. "It makes sense not everyone in the discussion included."

The most studied approach in the United States used testosterone and progestin hormones that produce to stop the body signals send sperm. While effective and safe for most men, they have worked not for everyone and remain questions about side effects.

Scientists are also other ways of the interruption of sperm production, ageing or mobility test.

A potential male birth control pill, Gamendazole, derived from a cancer drug sperm maturation interrupts, so that "You are not functional sperm," said Gregory S. head, associated Vice Chancellor for research administration at the University of Kansas Medical Center. The Center has tested administration of the drug, discussions with the food and drug in rats and monkeys started.

Dr. John k. Amory, reproductive scientist at the University of Washington, examine a drug which was developed for worm infections, and later men attempted, because it causes infertility. Rabbit, Dr. Amory said he discovered the drug production blocks of the Retinoic acid, important for sperm production.

Unfortunately, the drug acts as one for the control of alcoholism, so drink, if you make it people makes sick. Dr. Amory is working to make this cocktail compatible.

"The joke," he said, "no one is if it were not for alcohol, contraception must."

Debra j. Wolgemuth, a geneticist at the Columbia University Medical Center, tests a different treatment that inhibits the Retinoic acid without alcohol interactions in mice. Bristol-Meyers Squibb for skin diseases developed, but thought it was "a testicular toxin."

At Harvard University, Dr. David Clapham, neurobiologist, discovered that sperm tails calcium ion channels with electrically charged atoms "Turbo-download the sperm" contain to obtain eggs, he said. He developed a drug that disable the channel.

"You simply turn the engine, instead of old people in a car," he said.

Elaine Lissner, Director of the male contraception information project, created a foundation to develop other approaches. A "reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance", or Risug, includes to gel in the scrotum inactivate sperm injection. Another includes just heating the testicles with ultrasound, which can stop sperm production for months, she said.

"I imagine a world where you take your car in every six months, to get your oil changed, and go can get next door and your ultrasound for 50 dollars," she said.

US scientists remain skeptical, if research shows that Risug switchable or ultrasound is effective.

There are one to two drugs, an antihypertensive and an antipsychotic, to prevent that men ejaculate during orgasm found. The drugs have to changes not to high blood pressure or mood to influence.

Of course, women can have confidence that their partner, birth control use as men now do. But at least one method, hormone implants, visible from a man's bicep bulbous. "It like guys because they can show it," said Dr. Amory. "Prove that the male is contracepting."

Pharmaceutical companies have not yet a process, embraced waiting how female methods and risk-free enough healthy men give something as effective.

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