 This blog series highlights pertinent publications that were featured in MCI's monthly newsletter editions in the third quarter of 2024. The purpose of this blog is to report interesting or relevant work from MCI Fellows, Grantees, staff members, and other community authors in the field of male contraception.
This study, co-funded by MCI and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, showcases the demand across multiple markets for male contraception. The results of the study show that there is significant interest for novel male contraceptives in 7 distinct markets across 3 continents. Within the United States, nearly half of US men are interested in taking new male contraceptives after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe vs. Wade. Form (how you take the contraceptive) emerges as the top decision-making criteria in all countries (by a long way); variation in preferred form by country but less-invasive forms are clearly preferred. Female partners were also surveyed and it was found that trust in male partner use of contraceptives is generally high, alleviating a concern in the field that women would not trust male use. A new male method could result in substantial increases in Modern Method Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (mCPR) ranging from 14% to 46% depending on the country.
Nearly half of pregnancies worldwide are unintended, highlighting the insufficiency of current contraceptive methods. The limited contraceptive options for men, compared to the many available for women, underscores the urgent need for new male contraceptive solutions. This review outlines ongoing research and development in male contraception, focusing on the distinctive concept of on-demand male contraception, where men can use contraceptives only as needed, offering flexibility and choice in family planning.
Over the past 70 years, reproductive medicine has seen major progress, primarily focused on female contraception. However, male contraceptive options remain limited to condoms and vasectomy. This review aims to present an overview of current male contraceptive use, encompassing both ethical and political perspectives. It also summarizes ongoing and future research on hormonal and non-hormonal male contraceptive methods, highlighting potential advancements in diversifying male contraceptive choices.
Retinoic acid, an active form of vitamin A, is vital for spermatogenesis, playing key roles in the differentiation of spermatogonia, meiosis, and production of mature spermatozoa. A deficiency in vitamin A disrupts spermatogenesis and causes germ cell degeneration, a condition that can be reversed with retinoic acid. While retinoic acid can sometimes restore fertility in males with reproductive disorders, its efficacy varies due to incomplete knowledge of its molecular mechanisms. High doses may negatively impact reproduction. Additionally, retinoic acid's involvement in spermatogenesis suggests potential for developing non-hormonal male contraceptives, highlighting its dual importance in fertility treatments and contraceptive research.
This paper reviews our current understanding of the question “How low do sperm counts, sperm motility, or other functional parameters have to be before they reliably prevent pregnancy?”. Spermatogenesis involves the transformation of spermatogonial stem cells into spermatozoa, regulated significantly by testosterone and supported by FSH. Hormonal contraceptive methods suppress key hormones like FSH and intratesticular testosterone, effectively reducing sperm production to levels that can prevent pregnancy. Clinical trials have shown that sperm concentrations suppressed to ≤1 million/mL are sufficient for contraceptive efficacy. New contraceptive agents may need to demonstrate complete inhibition of sperm motility or morphology. While at-home tests for sperm analysis have progressed, many lack validation against standardized laboratory methods and should be used cautiously. Are there any interesting publications about non-hormonal, reversible male contraception that you'd like to see featured? Please reach out to us and share your thoughts!
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