Shoot Your Shot: Is Male Birth Control Finally Here?

For the past 25 years, we’ve been hearing that male contraceptives are just a few years away. And then a few more… and then some more after that. So for something that has been in development for such a long time, what is with the hold up?

In this episode, Dr. Kaylee Byers takes us through the history of birth control – from silk condoms to beaver testicles – before heading back to high school bio for a good old-fashioned male anatomy lesson. Then, urologist Dr. Premal Patel walks us through the current options for males (spoiler alert: not a lot), and endocrinologist Dr. Stephanie Page gives us the lowdown on some of the promising gels, pills, injections and other methods that could finally change the game.

So hit play for some sexy science– from vasectomies, to genomics and infertility research, to reproductive equity for all.

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Highlights 2:18 - The wacky history of contraceptive methods 7:54 - Breaking down misconceptions of vasectomies 18:29 - A gel and a frontrunner for male birth control

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Sources The History and Future of Birth Control - Live Science World Contraception Day: 10 of history’s most horrible contraceptives - BBC Breakthrough takes big step toward safe, reversible male contraception - Cornell