Male contraceptives, also known as male birth control, are methods of preventing pregnancy by interrupting the function of sperm. The most commonly used forms of male contraception are condoms, vasectomy, and withdrawal, which together represented 20% of global contraceptive use in 2019. New forms of male contraception are in research and development, but as of 2025, none have achieved regulatory approval for widespread use. They could be available before 2030, assuming smooth development and clinical trials. These new methods include topical creams, daily pills, injections, long-acting implants, and external devices, with both hormonal and non-hormonal mechanisms of action. Some could even be unisex, or usable by any person, because they could theoretically incapacitate mature sperm in the man's body before ejaculation, or incapacitate sperm in the body of a woman after insemination.
Background In the 21st century, surveys indicated that around half of men in countries across the world have been interested in using a variety of novel contraceptive methods, and men in clinical trials for male contraceptives have reported high levels of satisfaction with the products. Women worldwide have also shown a high level of interest in new male contraceptives, and though both male and female partners could use their own contraceptives simultaneously, women in long-term relationships have indicated a high degree of trust in their male partner's ability to successfully manage contraceptive use. A modelling study from 2018 suggested that even partial adoption of new male contraceptives would significantly reduce unintended pregnancy rates around the globe, which remain at nearly 50%, even in developed countries where women have access to modern contraceptives. Unintended pregnancies are associated with negative socioeconomic, educational, and health outcomes for women, men, and the resulting children (especially in historically marginalized communities), and 60% of unintended pregnancies end in abortions, many of which are unsafe and can lead to women's harm or death. Therefore, the development of new male contraceptives has the potential to improve racial, economic, and gender equality across the world, advance reproductive justice and reproductive autonomy for all people, and save lives.
Available methods
Vasectomy
Vasectomy is surgical procedure for permanent male sterilization usually performed in a physician's office in an outpatient procedure. During the procedure, the vasa deferentia of a patient are severed, and then tied or sealed to prevent sperm from being released during ejaculation. Vasectomy is an effective procedure, with less than 0.15% of partners becoming pregnant within the first 12 months after the procedure. Vasectomy is also a widely reliable and safe method of contraception, and complications are both rare and minor. Vasectomies can be reversed, though rates of successful reversal decline as the time since vasectomy increases, and the procedure is technically difficult and often costly.
Condoms
A condom is a barrier device made of latex or thin plastic film that is rolled onto an erect penis before intercourse and retains ejaculated semen, thereby preventing pregnancy. Condoms are less effective at preventing pregnancy than vasectomy or modern methods of female contraception, with a real-world failure rate of 13%. However, condoms have the advantage of providing protection against some sexually transmitted infections such as HIV/AIDS. Condoms may be combined with other forms of contraception (such as spermicide) for greater protection.
Withdrawal
The withdrawal method, also known as coitus interruptus or pulling out, is a behavior that involves halting penile-vaginal intercourse to remove the penis out and away from the vagina prior to ejaculation. Withdrawal is considered a less-effective contraceptive method, with typical-use failure rates around 20%. However, it requires no equipment or medical procedures.
Research Researchers have been working to generate novel male contraceptives with diverse mechanisms of action and possible delivery methods, including long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), daily transdermal gels, daily and on-demand oral pills, monthly injectables, and implants. Efforts to develop male contraceptives have been ongoing for many decades, but progress has been slowed by a lack of funding and industry involvement. As of 2024, most funding for male contraceptive research is derived from government or philanthropic sources. Novel male contraceptives could work by blocking various steps of the sperm development process, blocking sperm release, or interfering with any of the sperm functions necessary to reach and fertilize an egg in the female reproductive tract. Advantages and disadvantages of each of these approaches will be discussed below, along with relevant examples of products in development.
Sperm production These methods work by preventing the testes from producing sperm, or interfering with sperm production in a way that leads to the production of nonfunctional sperm. This approach can be accomplished by either hormonal or nonhormonal small-molecule drugs, or potentially by thermal methods. The effectiveness of contraceptives in this group can be easily assessed microscopically, by measuring sperm count or abnormalities in sperm shape, but because spermatogenesis takes approximately 70 days to complete, these methods are likely to require approximately three months of use before they become effective, and approaches that halt sperm production at an early stage of the process may result in reduced testicular size. Methods have been suggested in the 1980s.
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