doctor cupcake brith control

When I hit 34, I was totally over the pill. Not only did it decrease my sex drive, but with side effects like blood clots, strokes, and cancer, it increased my hypochondria tenfold. I tried a diaphragm too, but insertion wasn't sexy and spermicide is bad for our vaginas. Patches have too high a hormone level, and IUDs aren't for me (no dangling bits between my bits, thank you). 

The only option that appeals is measuring my basal body temperature, and while totally plausible (I was on the pill for over a decade and never missed one day), it's something I'm more into doing when I'm trying to get pregnant, as opposed to trying not to.

The times are a changin', and scientific advances on contraceptives for men are heating up the market in the forms of pills, gels, and ultrasound. And within a few years, there may be way more options for him to actually stop his own sperm dead in its tracks. YAY!

Male birth control? I say, bring it on. 

For women like me who aren't into the birth control options out there, this could be the beginning of more spontaneous sex. And not only that, but without our hormone levels being affected by pills and patches, our sex drives could go up and up. 

For way too long birth control has been our decision. Even condoms are our responsibility, since we can't always trust him to have one handy, or one that hasn't been sitting around his wallet for weeks. The only option that was for him, and him alone, was the snip-snip (I'm talking vasectomy). 

But wait, there's more ... choice that is. As of right now, The Male Contraception Information Project says there are four top contenders for MBC. They include RISUG (known as Vasalgel in the US), ultrasound, plant-based pills, and the testes-only bath. I think this last one should be known as the clean balls campaign. 

The more birth control options out there, the more chance of finding one that works. And since the brain is the biggest sex organ, if women worry less about protection, and men worry more, we might just find the perfect balance for sex.  

It's nice to know that soon he may be responsible for family non-planning too. As long as he remembers to take his pills or keep his appointments. 

If male contraception was safe, effective, and reversible, would you rely on your partner for birth control? 


Image via clevercupcakes/Flickr