Anyone who has seen the summer blockbuster "Knocked Up" (2007) - or ever attended a sexual education class in high school - knows that unplanned pregnancy can be a trying predicament for high school- and college-aged students.
But research from scientists at the University of Washington could make such situations much easier to avoid. According to MSNBC, the researchers said that their studies suggest a safe, effective and non-permanent birth control pill for men is within reach and could be produced in the near future.
The contraceptive, which could take the form of a pill, patch, gel or implant, would render sperm inactive.
Such a development could shatter current birth control trends, which place hormone-based birth control options completely under female control.
But though the potential change may be convenient, it may raise as many issues as it solves. According to Tufts Professor of Psychology Joe DeBold, there are some problems with developing a male birth control method that is foolproof and safe.
"I think what's currently being worked on, administering testosterone or synthetic progesterone - those will work if you give [the subjects] enough. The problem a lot of people have faced in terms of developing a pill, patch or injection is that men make millions of sperm [per] day. Even if you knock that down 99 percent, they still produce thousands and fertility is still possible," he said.
DeBold, who has taught classes on human sexual behavior since 1980, says that he is skeptical about how soon male contraceptives will actually be available on the market.
"The first textbook I used talked about the 'soon-to-arrive' male contraceptive," DeBold said. "Lots have been tested, but they turn out to have unforeseen side effects and the FDA doesn't approve them."
If a male form of the birth control pill is approved by the FDA, men may also have some trepidations about using it, DeBold said.
"Some [men] would take it, but a lot would be hesitant, for several reasons," he said. "One is that steroids are not benign compounds. Men have heard of possible medical side effects. Also, male identity is a little more tied up in potency and fertility than it is for women - a lot of personality research suggests this."
Tufts students echoed DeBold's sentiments. For sophomore Alex Green, a male pill wouldn't be a viable option until it had been tested on a wide group of subjects over time.
"I would want to research a lot first," Green said. "It's the same reason I wouldn't buy an iPhone until two years from now when all the bugs are worked out. You might find yourself suddenly unable to have kids. That's kind of a big deal."
Others agreed that it would take time before men would be comfortable using hormonal contraceptives.
"I definitely wouldn't be the first to try it out," sophomore Brian Cahill said. "That's not something that men are used to taking. Women have had [birth control pills] for a long time, and a lot of guys would view it as the girl's job to take it. I'm sure it would be temporary hesitation, not any stigma towards male birth control."
Senior Jesse Gossett said that the wide range of choices for contraception means that the introduction of a male birth control pill will not make as big of an impact.
"I probably would take it, if I was sexually active to the point of worrying about that sort of thing, but right now that there's so many options out there, from communication to condoms to birth control to dental dams, that it's really up to the couple about what's the best way to go about protecting their health and safety," Gossett said.
Gossett said that even though male hormonal contraceptives might not make much difference in preventing pregnancies, they would lead to more communication in relationships since a female pill already exists.
"I think it's good to have it as part of the discussion, both the dialogue and discourse and the physical discussion, because as it stands, pregnancy is seen in this country as the woman's problem. It's the woman who gets pregnant and the woman who gives birth and our culture sees that as, 'It's her responsibility,'" he said. "I think it would level the playing field and show males that it is their responsibility. It gives them the option to be more responsible and take part more in the process or the lack thereof."
Senior Nikki Bruce, the PR representative for VOX, a student organization that advocates reproductive rights and sexual health, agreed that a male birth control option would promote more equality in sexual health choices.
"Men would have to think about sexual health every day," Bruce said. "If we're going to both engage in sexual activity, we should be equally responsible."
Still, she said she would continue using her own methods of contraception.
"I can only speak for myself, but it's comforting to know that if a condom breaks, there is responsibility on my end. I don't think any girl would sacrifice having her end covered," Bruce said.
Bruce said there would also be other concerns with the introduction of the contraceptive, too.
"A problem would be the trust issue - women trusting men to take it, and men trusting it to work and trusting hormones," she said.
If that trust did exist, the increased assurance of the contraceptive may lead more couples to have unprotected sex. But DeBold pointed out that hormonal contraceptives prevent only pregnancy.
"Chemical-based contraceptives do not do anything for [sexually transmitted diseases]," DeBold said.
Green agreed that the reduced incentive for students to use protection could become problematic.
"The first thing I thought was, 'Oh no, there's going to be one guy giving everyone chlamydia and he won't use condoms, and everyone will have issues peeing.' That's just really unpleasant," Green said.
DeBold said that for these reasons, male hormonal contraceptives would probably only have a major impact on "established couples."
Cahill agreed.
"For a steady relationship definitely, it would be a way to share the responsibility that the girl usually takes in taking birth control pills, assuming we're having unprotected sex," Cahill said. "For short term stuff, condoms would be the way to go."
So don't throw out those free Health Service condoms just yet, Jumbos. While it may take time for a male birth control pill to hit the market, it could take even longer to catch on if it becomes available.
"At least for a while I'd stick with the stuff that we know works," Green said.
