Male contraception – Part of gender medicine and reproductive rights of men

Abstract

A pregnancy is in general the result of the sexual interaction of two individuals, with either different or same genders (male, female, non-binary etc). Preventing an unwanted pregnancy is therefore basically a “joint preventive behavior”, which can be achieved by gender specific behaviors with gender specific methods in a specific sociocultural environment. This sociocultural environment (circumstances) determines the frame of gender specific behaviors (reproductive rights) and the available gender specific contraceptive methods (contraceptive technology). In the sociocultural history of contraception different models of contraceptive practice evolved from the patriarchal to the female emancipation model, with different balances and imbalances regarding these two basic components. Based on the concept of the “joint preventive behavior” not only reproductive rights including reproductive responsibilities, but also contraceptive choices should be as equally balanced as possible, to allow collaboration between two individuals involved in reproduction. The development and the broad availability of different male contraceptive methods allowing individualization and best fit between the method and the individual profile, will be an important way forward to achieve this goal.