Effective male birth control study halted because men couldn’t handle side effects

A recently published study revealed there’s a male birth control shot that is 96% effective at preventing pregnancies. The study had to be halted, however, because many of the men participating were unable to cope with the same same side effects that millions of women who take birth control live with on a daily basis.

The study, which was released last week via the The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, found just 4 pregnancies happened among 266 men who used the contraception. This particular method uses a series of synthetic testosterone shots, along with progestin, to reduce sperm count. The increased testosterone fools the brain in to believing it has produced enough.

Twenty couples dropped out of the study because of adverse symptoms which included acne, increased libido, pain at the injection site, muscle pain and depression, as well as other mood disorders.

Dr. Elisabeth Lloyd told CNN, “Twenty percent or 30% of the women who take oral birth control pills experience depression and have to take medication for it. So the difference just struck me… They terminated this study once it showed 3% depression for the men.”

After 52 weeks in recovery, 8 of the participants had not returned to being fertile. One participant did not fully recover even after 4 years. “These risks of fertility damage are not fatal risks like the women endure with their birth control… You have to compare what women are doing in terms of taking hormones with what men are doing in terms of taking hormones. Are they taking their life in their hands when they take the hormones? Women are. And that needs to be put right up in front when considering the risk,” Lloyd added.

In spite of the side effects, 75% of the participants said they would be willing to use this particular form of contraception following the conclusion of the study.