A hypodermic needle for injection. Men will soon be injecting themselves for family planning. [Photo: thegatewayonline.ca]
If you’re a man not ready to have children or you need to stop having more, then a new birth control may afford you this but at a prick!For men, there are a few contraception options as many birth control solutions often target women.Researchers have now developed VasalGel which is being hailed as a non-toxic, non-hormonal gel injected into the vas deferens.The vas deferens are the tubes that deliver sperm from the testes to the penis.According to reports, the gel is injected into the tubes where the semi-permeable substance forms a thick barrier that makes it impossible for sperm to pass through.The body then absorbs the sperm cells naturally according to theheartysoul.com.VasalGel reportedly beats vasectomy because it has shown to be fully reversible in rabbit trials.To reverse it, an ultrasound machine dissolves the gel opening the path to sperm once more according to the site.From the research conducted in August 2016, scientists injected sixteen Rhesus monkey males which after a one-week recovery period, were released into their group housing with nine fertile females.Reportedly, no pregnancies occurred during the breeding season.However, one of the monkeys suffered complications due to ‘incorrect placement’ of the gel while another suffered a sperm granuloma. The sperm granuloma is the medical term for an irregular-shaped mass, or ball, of dissolving sperm. This is a common symptom of vasectomy surgery, where the vas deferens is clamped, cauterised or tied shut. According to the site, this build-up of cells can feel like a lump in the vas deferens, and it can be very painful. Also, the monkey who suffered an incorrect placement of the gel had to have a vasectomy. These setbacks may become a hindrance to many seeking this contraception method.