According to a study carried out at the ANZAC Research Institute, Sydney, Australia, a hormonal contraceptive pill that stops men from producing sperm, allows normal sperm production three to four months after treatment is ceased.

You can read about this study in The Lancet.

Sperm production in men can be inhibited by androgen or androgen-progestagen treatment combinations, just as hormone treatment in women can suppress ovulation.

Researchers monitored 1,500 men between 1990-2005. They were aged 18-51. On average, it took the men 3.4 months, after ceasing treatment, to be able to produce sperm normally again. Those who recovered sperm production faster were older men, men of Asian origin, those with a higher initial sperm count before treatment and those who had treatment for a short time.

Currently, a large phase III study with an androgen treatment is underway in China. A large, multicentre phase II study of androgen-progestagen combinations is being completed in Europe.

To date, the only form of contraception available to men are condoms and vasectomy. The problem with a vasectomy is that it can often be a permanent procedure – the man cannot reverse it. There have also been many cases of vasectomies not being 100% effective. Condoms are not 100% effective. Another method available to men is withdrawal – the least reliable contraception method.

Dr Peter Liu, Head Researcher, said ?Our data provide strong assurance that the previously described efficacy of hormonal male contraceptives is coupled with highly predictable recovery to semen characteristics that are compatible with fertility. These findings thereby increase the promise of new contraceptive drugs allowing men to share more fairly the satisfaction and burden of family planning.?

Dr. Peter Liu is from the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, USA. He is located at the ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Australia.

— ANZAC Research Institute
— http://www.thelancet.com

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today