Hormonal Contraception for Men

Abstract

Between 1971 and 1977, a public‐sector contraceptive development program organized 35 clinical studies to test whether progestins, alone or with androgens, could be used to develop a new contraceptive for men. This review presents the principal findings from these studies. The studies demonstrated that when high doses of progestins are administered to men. sperm production is suppressed to very low levels in the majority of cases. But full suppression of sperm production in all men could not be achieved even when high doses of progestins were administered alone or in combination with high doses of an androgen. All of the progestins tested were associated with weight gain and transient decreases in libido in some men. Some of the regimens tested caused additional side effects, including gynecomastia and impairment of liver function. It is concluded that none of the 25 regimens investigated to date is suited for further development as a male contraceptive. However, the finding that several of the regimens suppressed sperm production to very low levels – often to azoospermic levels – without producing substantial side effects is encouraging. Based on these findings, it is suggested that other combined regimens of more ***