By Emily Murray

Since the emergence of birth control pills in mainstream medicine there has been an endless evolution to try and make them easier to swallow…pun intended.

We’ve seen hormonal contraceptives delivered in shots, rings, patches and pills in an effort to find the easiest way for women to regulate their cycles and avoid pregnancy. At one point or another it’s fair to say most women have cast a jealous glance at their partner thinking ‘why can’t he have to deal with all this’? Well – after years in the making it appears that the male birth control pill is here…at least the prototype is and clinical trial testing is said to be only about a year away.

So How Do Male Birth Control Pills Work?

The recent prototype came about when scientists tested something called JQ1 in mice, discovering that the compound was able to actually stop the process by which sperm are developed. Consequently, the mice became infertile while exposed to the compound and then went back to being fertile once they were no longer on it which, of course, is extremely important since many using birth control do plan on having a family at a later date.

Scientists are very pleased with their findings but have agreed that the same results must be seen in human males before there is a big cause for celebration.

Essentially JQ1 binds specific cells in men that are responsible for sperm production which prevents them from being able to do their job.

Other Applications of the New Research

Not only does this show that a male birth control pill is viable, but the same type science may actually be used to treat certain types of cancer. If you apply the same theory of getting cells to bond together essentially preventing them from functioning as designed, this could help bind cells that are cancerous preventing them from rapidly dividing. This idea has been tested under a microscope by researchers and they claim to have seen cancerous cells turn non-cancerous as a result.

Clinic Trials for Male Birth Control 

It looks like we are still at least a year away from seeing how this new compound will work in human men but many are speculating that the results will turn out as expected and we will finally see a male contraceptive pill.

What are your thoughts? Ladies would you want your partner to take this if it is approved?