Lesson 2 Contraception
- The most important facts about contraception on the male perspective (if you want to know more, go to the woman health section)
Males have fewer birth control options than females, and most temporary male birth control techniques have a fairly high failure rate. We report the most common barrier and behavioural methods:
Barriers Methods
Condoms are a popular and accessible barrier method that can reduce the risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. They come in various shapes, colors, and sizes, and some include a spermicidal lubricant to help kill sperm. Most condoms consist of latex, but people with latex allergies may condoms comprising other materials, such as polyurethane or polyisoprene. It is important to check the instructions or labeling for potential allergens. By following proper use guidelines, condoms can be up to 98% effective. However, many people do not use them correctly every time. They may put them on too late, leave the penis in the vagina after ejaculation, or perform actions that cause the condoms to tear. With typical use, the effectiveness is around 85%.
Spermicide is a substance that kills sperm. When a person uses it as the sole method of contraception, they need to apply spermicide into the vagina. With typical use, spermicide fails around 21% of the time. It is therefore not recommended to be used.
If you do not know if your partner is healthy or not, only condoms can protect you against sexually transmitted diseases!
Behavioural methods
Withdrawal refers to removing the penis from the vagina before it ejaculates. In theory, this method may prevent sperm from entering the vagina. However, the optimal approach requires a person to withdraw before any ejaculation occurs, not just at the beginning of ejaculation — this can be very difficult. Withdrawal is therefore not recommended for avoiding pregnancy.
Furthermore, WITHDRAWAL does NOT protect from sexually transmitted diseases!
Outercourse means giving and receiving sexual pleasure using methods that will not result in pregnancy, such as oral sex, mutual masturbation, or using vibrators. As long as the semen does not make contact with the vagina, there is no chance of pregnancy. However, there is still a risk of contracting certain sexually transmitted infections, particularly if a person comes into contact with their partner’s bodily fluids, including semen or vaginal fluid.
Fertility awareness is a method that focuses on monitoring a female partner’s menstrual cycles to pinpoint the likely time of ovulation. Partners can then avoid intercourse during this fertile window. Males cannot practice this method alone. However, they can support female partners by charting menstrual cycles, learning about the approach, and cooperating when they need to abstain from sex. The effectiveness of fertility awareness varies greatly. If a female has regular, predictable menstruation cycles, it is more likely to be effective. On average, the failure rate is up to 23% It is therefore not recommended to avoid pregnancy.
A vasectomy is a form of permanent male contraception that involves surgically cutting or blocking the vas deferens, the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles to the penis. Sperm is needed to fertilize a woman’s egg. By cutting the tubes, a vasectomy prevents the sperm from reaching the semen. After the procedure, a man can ejaculate, but there will be no sperm. A vasectomy is a permanent way to prevent pregnancy. It is estimated to be over 99 percent effective. Fewer than 1 in every 100 become pregnant in the first year after her partner has a vasectomy. A vasectomy is possible at any age.
Is Vasectomy a good idea?
- if your family is complete and you are 100 percent sure that you do not want more children
- if you or your partner wants to avoid passing on a hereditary disease
- if a pregnancy would put your partner’s health at risk
- a relationship breakdown
- financial challenges
- pressure from other people.