Nykki+and+Racesen

Male Contraceptives

Abstract: With new research, scientists have found a contraceptive for males. Instead of females having to take birth control pills, this pill allows the responsibilities to be placed on the male. Making female birth control pills are far less complex. Making male contraceptives contain a much harder process due to tampering with millions of sperm.

Discussion Questions: Does this change social structure? Would this be an effective way to stop pregnancy? Would males willingly take the responsibility of being the ones to stop pregnancy? Would adding options for men help spread responsibility of pregnancy prevention more evenly between male and female partners? Are males really equally responsible and accountable for both preventing pregnancy and promoting reproductive health? Males have an archaic mentality that they don't need to worry about birth control, because pregnancy is ultimately a woman's burden, would male contraceptives change that?

Nikki's Response: When I first read this article, I thought that it was extremely intriguing and different to society. Society leads it to believe that woman are the ones in a partnership that prevent the pregnancy. I thought that having male birth control may change the structure of our society. The responsibility of pregnancy then gets placed on the male. With male contraceptives there are no room for 'mistakes'. Reproductive prevention and health should not be a woman's issue. Having a child should also not affect just females. If males have the choice of leaving after a woman gets pregnant, they should have the responsibility of choosing if they get pregnant or not.

Racesen's Response: When I read this article my first reaction was that this was a crazy idea that would be hard to do. To prevent all of the sperm from a male seems like an impossible task because it only takes 1 sperm to make a baby. As I read through the article I changed my mind. I think that male contraceptives are a good idea that would benefit everyone. I think this takes the burden off of the women as the ones to control pregnancy. Also with this method I think that the chances of unexpected pregnancies would go way down and be nonexistent. I think if this male contraceptive can be proved safe then it will be a very effective method of birth control.