Many birth control options are available for couples wanting to prevent pregnancy, but most of these options are the sole responsibility of the woman. This can be frustrating for men that want to have more control over the family planning process. However, although there are not as many birth control options for males, men do still have a few options.
Male Condom
The male condom is a sheath made of latex, polyurethane or lambskin that goes over the penis and blocks sperm from being able to enter the vagina during sexual intercourse. When used correctly, condoms have over a 95-percent effectiveness rate, but average effectiveness rates are closer to 85 percent, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Benefits of the male condom include the fact that they are low-cost, easily obtainable, do not require a prescription, prevent against sexually transmitted infections and are completely reversible in terms of fertility. Disadvantages include a possible decrease in penis sensitivity, an interruption of foreplay and that the effectiveness rate is not as high as other methods of birth control.
Withdrawal Method
The withdrawal method of birth control involves the man pulling his penis out of the woman's vagina before ejaculating during sexual intercourse, thereby theoretically preventing sperm from entering the woman's vagina and fertilizing an egg. However, this method is not very effective when used on its own as a method of birth control. In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, this method has an effectiveness rate of only 73 percent. One possible reason for this low effectiveness rate may be because there may be sperm in the small amount of fluid a man releases prior to ejaculation that may be enough to impregnate a woman, but another reason may be the fact that many men find it difficult to successfully pull out before semen is released via ejaculation. However, it is free, convenient and can increase the effectiveness of other birth control methods.
Vasectomy
A vasectomy is a permanent method of birth control performed on males. It involves an outpatient procedure that entails a doctor cutting the tube that runs from the testicles to the urethra, thereby preventing the sperm from leaving the body. This method of birth control is the most effective form of birth control available for men. In fact, only 15 out of every 10,000 couples will get pregnant after a vasectomy, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Although there is a procedure to reverse a vasectomy, this reversal does not always result in a return of fertility and is expensive and not typically covered by insurance. Therefore, men interested in having a vasectomy must be sure that they will not want to conceive a baby in the future.
