First introduced in the 1950s, the female hormone pill has been a legitimate form of contraception for as long as most of us can remember. Now, more than 70 years on, we are closer than ever to a male equivalent. But with change comes resistance. And with resistance comes one very big question: would the men in our lives even take it if it was an option?

Particularly in the wake of the overturning of Roe v Wade in the United States—which asserted the right to an abortion was not a constitutional one—there is a renewed discussion about contraception and broadening its onus to beyond only females. After all, it takes two to tango.

“The concept of the male contraceptive pill has been in the works for at least 15 years but has not yet reached the point of successful clinical trials or tolerability for patients at any point,” says General Practitioner, Dr Deb Cohen-Jones. According to a study conducted by the American Chemical Society, most of the compounds currently undergoing clinical trials target a reduction in the male sex hormone testosterone, which could lead to side effects such as weight gain, depression and increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. In layman’s terms, there is still much to be done in terms of research ensuring that a male contraceptive pill wouldn’t cause prolonged reproductive challenges.

“We are still nowhere near a male contraceptive pill as a realistic option in Australia,” says Dr Cohen-Jones. “It’s unfortunate but ultimately it is simpler to inhibit female fertility and, as a general rule, women are more open and tolerant to hormone changes, even artificial ones.”

For most females, hormone-based contraceptives have been taken (or at least spoken about) from their mid-teens. Culturally, in heterosexual relationships, the onus has fallen on the female to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, since that’s who carries the child. And while the male contraceptive pill is also a hormone-based medication, it operates differently to the female pill. 

“The male and female contraceptive pills are totally different,” says Dr Cohen-Jones. “Both use hormones but work in entirely different ways. Female contraceptive pills combine estrogen and progesterone to suppress ovulation while male contraceptive pills aim to inhibit sperm production and suppress hormones without a cyclical aspect like their female counterparts.”

Another important consideration in the female versus male contraceptive pill conversation is the notion of trust. “At the end of the day, the females are the ones who get pregnant if there is deceit,” says Dr Cohen-Jones.

According to a study conducted by J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care, the effective use of the male contraceptive pill is more doubted by females than males. “Women, unlike men, have first-hand experience using hormonal contraception and may therefore have more realistic expectations of its effectiveness and ease of use,” the study found. “It also highlights the important role that trust in effective use plays, particularly in casual sexual relationships.”

Like most health debates, life stage, socioeconomic standing and relationship status all play into people’s opinions—and such is the case for taking the male contraceptive pill. “Men who were in a stable sexual relationship had a more favourable attitude towards the male pill and showed more eagerness for its availability,” the J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care study found. “This is in line with previous findings that condoms are preferred in casual sexual relationships while the contraceptive pill is favoured in stable relationships.”

But why not take the conversation into our own hands? Speaking to three Australian males—James* (25), Liam* (37) and Dominic* (43)—we opened up the conversation.

“For me, it would definitely depend on whether I was seeing someone long term or if I was single,” said James. “I am currently in a relationship so I have seen first-hand how taking the contraceptive pill has sometimes led to less-than-ideal side effects for my girlfriend. I would absolutely take it if it meant that it took the pressure off her for a bit. But I don’t think I’d opt for this method if I was single and seeing people in a more casual capacity.”

This is an opinion also shared by Liam who says his main concern lies in his own ability to remember to actually take it. “I don’t trust myself to remember to take it every single day. If there was a way to just have it automatically administered, I would be more open to it.”

This consideration also came up in the J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care study, which found that, just as female hormonal contraception exists in different presentations, some males may similarly prefer periodical injections, contraceptive patches or other presentations to a daily tablet. “Ensuring that there are a variety of presentations available may boost women’s confidence in their partner using the male contraceptive effectively,” the study said.

For Dominic, contraception isn’t much of a consideration at this stage of his life. “I’ve had my kids and don’t plan on having any more so contraception isn’t really a thought,” he said. “My partner also got her tubes tied a few years ago so it’s not really something I think about. If I was much younger I would consider it but I am not totally comfortable with the fact that it limits testosterone and sperm production.”

The possibility of infertility is one of the major points that Dr Cohen-Jones says researchers are working hard to debunk. “Yes, the male contraceptive pill does work by using dimethandrolone undecanoate (DMAU), which suppresses testosterone and sperm production,” she said. “At this stage, it appears that men are unlikely to embrace anything that could render them infertile without substantiating proof that this is a low possibility.”

Regardless of stance, the conversation is an important one to open up with the males in our lives. It’s 2022 and the sole responsibility of contraception should move beyond females. So, get talking.

* Please note all surnames have been removed for privacy purposes.