Unsealed Section: Men fear side-effects of male contraceptive pills but still expect women to 'cop it'

Male contraceptive pills may soon be on the horizon, but men are worried about side-effects and many women don't trust men to be responsible for contraception.

Adult actor and sex coach Robbie Bampton, who goes by Rob Oz professionally, is excited by the idea men could one day soon take on more responsibility for contraception.

But Australian marketing assistant Matilda*? says most men wouldn't be willing to "cop" the side-effects women like her have lived with for years.

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"The idea is a little bit exciting because it changes things, it's a shift in the paradigm of what we all know," Bampton tells 9Honey of the possibility of a male contraceptive pill.

A 2022 study from We-Vibe, the leading manufacturer of couple vibrators, and YLabs found almost eight in 10 men worldwide would take such a pill if it was available.

Bampton is one of them and not just because of his line of work.

He married Katy Bampton, who also works in the adult industry, in February last year and knows all too well how female contraceptive options have affected her in the past.

"She's been on a few different ones over the years and I think they didn't quite sit well with her," he says, adding that she's not currently on a contraceptive.

"I've had other girlfriends that have missed taking the pill or forgotten, or they've got the rod and it's affected them in certain ways."

Over 80 per cent of women in Australia aged 16 to 49 currently use some form of contraception, with many opting for a hormonal contraceptive pill prescribed by a doctor.

These pills typically come with side-effects, which can range from mood swings, to weight gain, mental health issues and even suicidal thoughts.

It's an issue women have been discussing for decades and Bampton admits that it's the one thing that would make him think twice about using a male contraceptive pill.

"If the shoe was on the other foot, how would I feel? I certainly think I'd be open to it," he says.

"But I've had issues with my testosterone over the years, so I do testosterone now. It's just a matter of if [a contraceptive pill] messes with things like that, how the chemistry would work."

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He's not alone; the We-Vibe study found 78 per cent of men worldwide fear side effects from a male contraceptive pill and?41 per cent said they would not tolerate any side effects.

Many were concerned about such a pill affecting their libido, which is a common side effect for women using hormonal contraceptives.

But a growing number of women are fed up with having to take on these kinds of side effects and the responsibility of preventing unwanted pregnancies for their male partners.

Matilda, 27, spent close to six years taking hormonal contraceptive pills because she didn't trust her male partners with the responsibility of providing contraception.

"When I was having casual sex or dating someone new, I didn't want to risk the chance of getting pregnant, even though I made them wear a condom too," she tells 9Honey.

When she began struggling with mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, her GP suggested going off the pill as she suspected it was contributing to Matilda's struggles.

"When I told my now-ex that I had to stop taking the pill for a month so my doctor could figure out if that was the problem, he wasn't happy," she says.

"He refused to use condoms because they 'didn't feel as good' and when I told him I wasn't comfortable using the pull-out method, he said we just wouldn't have sex for a month."

The "sex ban" continued when Matilda decided not to go back on the pill, as her mental health had improved while off it. The relationship ended soon after.

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Though the idea of a male contraceptive pill sounds appealing to Matilda, she admits it would be hard to trust a male partner with that responsibility.

"In [my ex's] mind, it was a woman's job to take the pill and cop the side effects. I don't think he'd risk the low libido or depression," she says.

"Guys like him would probably just refuse to take it or only date girls who were on the pill. Or they'd lie about taking it, or forget to take it every day."

Bampton agrees many men would be concerned about side-effects if a male pill was developed, but believes if the side-effects were limited, men would take it.

He's excited by the idea of getting to share the responsibility for contraception and says he's not the only man in Australia who would feel that way.

While male contraceptive pills aren't currently available, there are such pills in development that are expected to hit global markets in the coming years.

With a rising demand for alternative contraceptive options, the onus is now on pharmaceutical companies to invest in researching and testing these options.

Matilda is now engaged and says she'd trust her future husband to take a male contraceptive pill, but also wants funding and research put towards female contraceptives.

"Having a male pill would be great but I also think there needs to be a focus on fixing everything that is wrong with female contraceptives too," she adds.

"I was so depressed on the pill and I know other women who have wanted to kill themselves, the side effects are so bad.

"Maybe scientists should sort that out before focusing on making a men's version that doesn't have side-effects."

*Name changed for privacy.?

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