The development of male contraceptive methods has been an area of increasing interest over the past few decades, driven by the need for equitable reproductive responsibility between genders. Despite the prevalence of female contraceptive methods, options for men remain limited to condoms, vasectomy, and withdrawal. This comprehensive review analyzes current and emerging male contraceptive methods, including hormonal, non-hormonal, and physical approaches. We critically examine the efficacy, safety, reversibility, and social implications of these methods, providing an in-depth analysis of preclinical and clinical studies. The review highlights significant barriers to adoption, including societal attitudes, healthcare provider knowledge gaps, and regulatory challenges. Masculinity is defined within cultural contexts that influence contraceptive acceptance. Financial analysis reveals substantial economic benefits of male contraceptive implementation. Future directions emphasize the need for enhanced clinical trials, healthcare provider education, and addressing social barriers to promote gender equity in family planning.
References
Anderson RA, Baird DT. Male contraception: Where are we going and how can we get there? J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019;104(10):4397-4399. doi:10.1210/jc.2019-00227.
Kopa Z, Scafa R, Graziani A, Goulis DG, Ferlin A. Male contraception: Focus on behavioral and barrier methods. Andrology. 2024;12(2):284-293. doi:10.1111/andr.13722.
Page ST, Amory JK, Bremner WJ. Advances in male contraception. Endocr Rev. 2008;29(4):465-493. doi:10.1210/er.2007-0042.
Behre HM, Zitzmann M, Anderson RA, Handelsman DJ, Lestari SW, McLachlan RI, Nieschlag E. Efficacy and safety of an injectable combination of norethisterone enanthate and testosterone undecanoate for male hormonal contraception. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2016;101(12):4779-4788. doi:10.1210/jc.2016-2141.
Ilani N, Roth MY, Amory JK, Swerdloff RS, Dart C, Page ST, Bremner WJ, Wang C. A new combination of testosterone and nestorone transdermal gels for male hormonal contraception. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012;97(10):3476-3486. doi:10.1210/jc.2012-1961.
Chung SS, Wang X, Roberts SS, Griffey SM, Reczek PR, Wolgemuth DJ. Oral administration of a retinoic acid receptor an-tagonist reversibly inhibits spermatogenesis in mice. Endocrinology. 2011;152(6):2492-2502. doi:10.1210/en.2010-1027.
O'Rand MG, Silva EJR, Hamil KG. Non-hormonal male contraception: A review and development of an Eppin-based con-traceptive. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2016;371(1706):20150525. doi:10.1098/rstb.2015.0525.
Blanco-Rodríguez J, Martínez-García C, Porras G. Adjudin as a male contraceptive: A systematic review. Andrology. 2020;8(4):964-976. doi:10.1111/andr.12780.
Sharma RS, Hild SA, Hoyer PB. Ultrasound as a physical male contraceptive: An update on current research. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2013;11:50. doi:10.1186/1477-7827-11-50.
Reynolds-Wright JJ, Cameron NJ, Johnstone A, Lumsden MA, Anderson RA. Will men use novel male contraceptive methods and will women trust them? A systematic review. J Sex Res. 2021;58(9):1126-1139. doi:10.1080/00224499.2021.1905764.
Tcherdukian J, Mieusset R, Netter A, Huyghe E. Knowledge, professional attitudes, and training among health professionals regarding male contraceptive methods. Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2022;27(5):432-439. doi:10.1080/13625187.2022.2093851.
Wang C, Festin MPR, Swerdloff RS. Male hormonal contraception: Where are we now? Curr Obstet Gynecol Rep. 2016;5(1):38-47. doi:10.1007/s13669-016-0151-9.
Thirumalai A, Page ST, Amory JK. Recent advances in male contraception. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2019;48(4):967-982. doi:10.1016/j.ecl.2019.08.005.
Roth MY, Amory JK, Page ST. Beyond testosterone: New strategies for male hormonal contraception. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2020;27(3):219-225. doi:10.1097/MED.0000000000000557.
Wang M, Su L, Lin W, Wang D, Li Y. Non-hormonal male contraception: Opportunities and challenges. Asian J Androl. 2019;21(6):549-555. doi:10.4103/aja.aja_34_19.
Sonfield A, Hasstedt K, Gold RB. Moving forward: Family planning in the era of health reform. New York: Guttmacher Institute; 2014.
Nguyen BT. Male contraceptive acceptability versus male acceptance of contraceptive responsibility. Andrology. 2024;12(3):612-613. doi:10.1111/andr.13719.