Would I Trust My Partner to Take A Male Birth Control Pill if it was Available

State whether you agree or disagree with the statement

The responsibility for contraception has, for a long time, been assigned to women. This responsibility has, however, come with a lot of side effects especially when using hormonal contraceptives. Women have to endure painful menstruation, breast pain, mood changes, headaches, nausea and weight gain. It is time men play an active role in birth control with an effective method other than just the condom (Chen, 2017). When the men dutifully take up this task, it would help to supplement the efforts of contraception when the woman is unable. This decision comes with a lot of demands, and the men should ensure that they follow all the instructions so that the pill is effective. If a male birth control pill were available, I would trust my partner to take it so that he also contributes towards preventing unwanted pregnancy.

Briefly explain why your chosen topic can be controversial

The subject of the male pill is controversial because of two reasons. First, in this largely patriarchal society, most men believe that the decision to get pregnant or prevent pregnancy is the woman’s problem. For this reason, men are reluctant to help their partners because they equate this with losing their masculinity. There is also a concern about the safety of birth control methods. Men are worried that if they start using birth control pills, they will suffer side effects that might be hard to handle (Beck). Secondly, many women may not trust their partners to follow all the instructions required for the pill to work effectively. Women have been taking the pill for a long time and are more likely to remember to take it at the right time. Since the man is not used to it, he can easily forget to take the pill thus compromising the whole process.

How has American society’s attitude about your topic changed in the last 50 years?

Research into male contraceptives peaked around the 1970s when the government tried to find ways to limit the population. The first reaction towards this initiative was negative. Many men argued that it wasn’t their responsibility to take up birth control; after all, since their discovery, pills were assigned to the females. They were simply not willing to give up their fertility like the women and risk losing their manhood. There was also debate about side effects; men anticipated to suffer the side effects experienced by women as a result of hormonal contraceptives. Scientists have perfected their trials over the years, and the results are finally getting increased acceptance by the male population. According to a study conducted on the attitudes towards the male contraceptive pills, men in stable relationships are willing to take up the responsibility of birth control especially if their partner complains about side effects (Wersch et al., 177). These findings show that there is a change in attitude towards male contraceptives as more men are willing to share the burden.

What is a medical/biological reason why you agree or disagree with your chosen statement?

From the clinical trials conducted on the male contraceptives, none of them had a permanent effect on the fertility of the man. This problem was among the reasons why many adult men were reluctant to take the pill. The male pill suppresses sperm production thereby lowering the sperm count; this reduces the chances of getting a woman pregnant. Once a man decides to go off the pill, the hormones that suppress sperm production are withdrawn, and the body returns to normal functioning. The spermatogenesis process resumes, and restores the normal sperm count. The fertility of the man is not affected by the use of the pill, and therefore men should not be afraid to give this form of birth control a chance.

What is a social reason why you agree or disagree with your chosen statement?

The male pill should be made available and put to use because it would help to demystify the use of the female contraceptive. Many cultures have often labeled contraceptives as suitable for older women who seek to establish their careers before they can start having children or married women. People often shun contraceptive use among younger girls because of its association with promiscuity. This stereotype makes them feel embarrassed to go on the pill in an effort to remain discrete about their sexual activity. Doing this can put them in harm’s way as they are more likely to have unwanted pregnancies if they don’t use other contraceptive methods. The use of the male pill will help to take the burden off the young girls and give the boys a chance to learn about the need to be conscious of pregnancy prevention and equal participation in decision-making. In the end, this will help to change the views of society.

What is a personal reason why you agree or disagree with your chosen statement?

From my experience, I believe that the decision to have a baby or prevent unwanted pregnancy should not be one-sided. I come from a family where both parents are actively involved in my life; this makes me think that they collectively decided to have me. In the same way, I believe that if the male pill is made available, men should help to make these all important decisions by using it instead of leaving it all to the woman. It will not only show concern towards their partner, but it will also enable them to take the lead in matters that have the potential to affect their future.

Works Cited

Beck, J. The Different Stakes of Male and Female Birth Control, 2016. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/11/the-different-stakes-of-male-and-female-birth-control/506120/

Chen, I. Contraception, 2017. Retrieved from http://userwww.sfsu.edu/ivychen/HEDbirth%20control.html

Wersch, A., et al. “Attitudes Towards The Male Contraceptive Pill: Psychosocial and Cultural Explanation for Delaying A Marketable Product. Basic and Clinical Andrology, vol. 22, no.3, 2012, pp. 171-179. doi: 10.1007/s12610-012-0185-4