Would You Trust Your Partner To Handle the Contraception In Your Relationship?

Women have been taking care of the responsibilities of birth control for decades, and while using a condom is always recommended, couples in a committed relationship often ditch the frangers for alternative methods of contraception. The pill, hormone injections, implants and IUDs are all commonly used by women to take charge of their reproductive options. We are used to being the ones in control.

Studies have now proven that a reliable male contraceptive could soon be an option. It is a reversible, one-time injection of a polymer gel into the vas deferens blocking the passage of sperm through the testes to the urethra. It’s like a vasectomy, but is fully reversible – vasectomies are generally not.

This means that a young man could opt to have this procedure in his late teens or early twenties to safely cover his own chances of reproduction, just as a young woman could choose to have a mirena implanted for the same reasons. Then he could have the procedure reversed when he decides it is time to start a family.

But here is the question – would you trust your partner to handle the contraception in your relationship?

I’m not sure I would — he can’t be trusted to take the bin out on time! Although this isn’t like the pill where there is a high chance of operator error. It’s a one time thing, so he has no way to screw it up unless he says he’s done it when he hasn’t.

Men have been trusting women with birth control ever since it was invented (condoms excluded, obviously). If a girl says she’s on the pill, they are generally believed. And yet we have heard many stories over the years about how men have been trapped into marriage or fatherhood by women who have either outright lied about her contraceptive situation or failed to use it correctly, resulting in a pregnancy.

It takes two to tango, but it is the woman who is left with the choice of what to do with an unplanned pregnancy. Her body, her rules. Could she trust that her new boyfriend has really had the procedure and is temporarily sterile? She should be able to, sure, but could she? Would you have your doubts, too?

I think I would.

But I would also have my doubts if the roles were reversed — if I were a man and my new girlfriend told me she was on the pill. I’d be wearing a condom just in case.

I guess one very excellent outcome for this procedure is that it takes the man’s ability to father a child completely out of the picture for his own peace of mind. Your new girl says she’s on the pill? Great! Me too! Let’s wear a condom too, though. Just to be safe.

The biggest advantage of this new male contraceptive is undoubtedly for parents who think they might be “done” but also undecided if they want another child. How wonderful it would be for the man to go and get an injection and come back “fixed” but with the potential to father more children if the couple changed their minds in the future! It’s the perfect mix of “permanent, but with options”.

What do you think? Have your say!

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