Intra-Vas Approaches to Control Male Fertility

The world population continues to grow at an alarming rate. If the growth continues at the current rate, the population of our planet, currently estimated to be over seven billion, is expected to double in next forty years. The projected population growth will cause severe competition for existing resources, in addition to overcrowding and its adverse effects on the ecological health of our planet. In spite of the general agreement that men, like women, must take full responsibility of their fertility, an important global health issue, the contraceptive methods for preventing pregnancy that primarily involve male physiology have not changed in the past century. These methods are still limited to the use of condoms, abstinence, a timely withdrawal/pulling out (coitus interrupts) or the surgical method of vas occlusion (vasectomy) that prevents sperm from being released during ejaculation. When not defective and used correctly, condoms can protect from unwanted pregnancies as well as sexually transmitted diseases. However, condoms, abstinence and withdrawal approaches have relatively high typicaluse failure rates whereas vasectomy is largely irreversible and not suitable for younger men. Thus, providing a safe, effective, and affordable contraceptive for men has remained an elusive goal. In this article, we will discuss many details of three intra-vas approaches that have undergone advanced clinical trials and are close to being approved for use by men to control their fertility. In addition, our intention is to introduce “sperm switch” approach, the latest invention designed to allow men to decide if and when to ejaculate sperm cells during coitus. The availability of several safe, reliable, affordable and reversible contraceptives will allow men to take full responsibility of their fertility and participate in family planning.