Besides using a condom, getting a vasectomy, or completely abstaining from sexy time, there isn't much your guy can do to take baby-blocking action—which means much of that responsibility falls on your shoulders.
But according to recent reports, you might not have to be a slave to your birth control routine much longer: A promising contraceptive for dudes called Vasalgel could be available as soon as 2018, according the product's Web site. It's a gel that's injected into the man's vas deferens (the tube a man’s sperm escapes through) and blocks the little swimmers from safely making their exit. The shot would be a one-time procedure that would be effective for 10 years, or until he received another injection of a solution that flushes out the gel. Pretty cool, right?
While that's not the only birth control for guys in the works (a couple of daily pills are being developed as well, according to Wired), we wanted to know if men would actually get the injection and take on some of the responsibility of preventing unwanted pregnancy. So we asked them.
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According to our survey of nearly 400 Men's Health Facebook followers, a majority of the guys polled (86 percent) said they would try the birth-control shot. Some of the biggest reasons behind their stance are: They don't love wearing condoms (shocker), they don't want a baby in the near future, and they want to take the burden off of their partner (six percent of the men said this). Yay for responsible, caring guys! Here's what some of them had to say:
"It's just as much of the guy's responsibility to prevent accidents, and we all know how much condoms suck."
"I don't want children—at the moment. The sole responsibility of birth control should not rest on women's shoulders' alone."
Well said, guys. Though it looks like many of our male survey takers are ready to do more to protect against unwanted pregnancy, we wanted to know if the ladies would trust them to do their part. So we asked 150 Women's Health Facebook followers for their input, too.
72 percent of the women surveyed said they would trust their partner to get the birth-control shot. Here’s what some of them had to say:
"We're in a serious and committed relationship, yet we're not ready for kids. He's extremely responsible, and I think we both would enjoy taking that fear out of sex."
"I wouldn’t put all my trust in a casual sex partner. I would always make sure I was covered on my end. But in the context of a relationship, yes, I would trust my boyfriend to use as directed."
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More than half of the women surveyed said that they wouldn't stop taking birth control if he received the shot being developed.
"If we're both on birth control, the chances of me getting pregnant are even smaller."
"Knowing that I am taking birth control confirms that I'll be protected against unwanted pregnancy, and it helps with my horrible periods."
The survey results also revealed that a majority of the men (56 percent) and women (63 percent) are concerned about a woman's birth control failing.
Overall, it looks like ladies and fellas alike are definitely ready for a male form of birth control that doesn't involve any snipping or slipping on a condom. Let's speed this up, science!
All gifs courtesy of giphy.com
This is what Women's Health staffers had to say about the possibility of birth control for men:
RELATED: Your Gyno’s Biggest Birth Control Concern
Ashley Oerman is a contributing writer at Cosmopolitan, covering fitness, health, food, cocktails, and home. You can follow her on Instagram @AshleyOerman. She is pro-carbs.
