Revolutionary New Birth Control Method for Men

[n2doc]

By Bill Gifford April 26, 2011 | 12:00 pm

One Saturday in January 2010, Devendra Deshpande left his home in the Delhi suburbs and drove into the city to get a vasectomy. He was 36 years old, married with two young kids, and he thought it was time.

He arrived at the hospital around midday and met Hem Das, then the hospital’s chief vasectomy surgeon. Das had an interesting question for Deshpande. Rather than receive a traditional vasectomy, would Deshpande like to be part of a clinical trial for a new contraceptive procedure?

Das explained that the new method did not have some of the drawbacks associated with a regular vasectomy. First, sperm would still be able to escape Deshpande’s body normally, which meant he would be free of the pressure and granulomas that sometimes accompany a vasectomy. More important, it could be reversed easily, with a simple follow-up injection.

“I am normally not adventurous when it comes to getting myself operated on,” Deshpande deadpans. But the new method sounded good to him, and according to the published studies he read on his smartphone in the waiting room, it seemed safe. He gave his wife, Vinu, a call, and although she sounded nervous on the phone, she said she was fine with it. Deshpande decided to try the experimental method.

more
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/04/ff_vasectomy/

[kick-ass-bob]

1. I really didn't need to read the next paragraph.

I'm feeling a bit light headed. :o

;)

[Scuba]

3. Vasectomy is no big deal. I asked my doc to let me know...

...when he was starting and he replied "I'm almost done".

[kick-ass-bob]

4. Thanks - I'm headed that way.

I just didn't need the description read out to me. ;)

This is an interesting advancement if it pans out, even if it'd be too late for me personally.

[supernova]

6. My fiance is fixed

did it close to 10 years ago now. he said it wasn't a big deal. Did it in the doc's office. Went home and settled in with his bag of frozen peas and slept the drugs off.

You'll do great! :D

[NV Whino]

2. This could be a real boon for third world countries.

[supernova]

5. Sounds like really good news

Also sounds relatively cheap, which is what anybody wants.

I'm a firm believer in both men and women having effective bc, then having it it be easily reversed when appropriate.

[lumberjack_jeff]

7. It's ironic that funding for the trials has to come from WomanCare Global.

There's nothing analagous for men's healthcare.

In fact, the only grant they've received so far is from the Gates foundation, "Guha received a $100,000 Gates Foundation grant to pursue a variation of RISUG in the fallopian tubes as a female contraceptive."

Play the ball where it lies, I guess.

[Duer 157099]

8. So what is this method?

From reading this whole thread, I cannot find what it is.

[laconicsax]

9. It's described quite clearly in the article linked in the OP.

Basically, instead of cutting the vas deferens, a polymer is injected which disables sperm as they flow through.

[Warpy]

10. I have a sneaking suspicion that it will have to be redone periodically

as the polymer wears down or the drug within it is depleted, but a truly reversible method like this one would be wonderful.

I can see people getting it done on their sexually active teenage boys to avoid those boys getting slapped with paternity suits and the need to support a child instead of finishing their educations.

Also, it would give men the kind of choice they now lack unless they're willing to wear condoms and the condoms don't pop.

Men might not want to read the whole article, though. It has a picture.