Male Birth Control Pill Coming, But Will He Remember to Take It?

Not to be sexist, but this is a sexist topic, so here it goes: Women generally are the ones who 'get pregnant' to try to keep the guy around. There is not a stereotype of men trying to impregnate women to keep them around for a reason... it's simply not in the man's interest to do so. Most men I know, even in serious relationships, live in terror that their girlfriend or even wife will unilaterally decide to 'take things to the next level' by getting pregnant... This has happened to several friends and my brother. I am fairly certain that men would rejoice at having their OWN say in this, having their own reproductive freedom. My girlfriend is horrible at remembering to take the pill. I'm the 'responsible one' and I'm sure I'm not alone here.

For someone like myself who has had a history of strokes, which doesn't allow me to use most forms of contraception, I find this news to be exciting. My husband and I both take as much precautions as we can, but I still feel as though it is my responsibility to play safe. I have actually spoken in great lengths about this to my husband prior to this article and whether we choose it or not as a form-since by the time it comes out I am sure we will be done having children and will take care of it on a permanent form I think its a great thing and would welcome the medicine. Getting him to take it would be one thing, but would like to think there are men out there who would take the responsibility and the precaution seriously.

My husband already had a vasectomy, so we don't have to worry about this.

Good Grief, Now you'll have tons of men sterile for good... & BTW SHINE!!!! The rude Israeli accent tone you took just puts another mark on the Yes of ,Is Shine Anti Jew, check list. You have quite a few yes checked off on this list. But That's Ok in this culture again...it would seem.

Trust a MAN with birth control? HA!

"Will he remember to take it?"

How about this....STFU and be grateful anyone wants to touch your brainless, obnoxious, nasty @$$.

Get a clue. Women are not more intelligent than men. I'm tempted to posit the reverse, but I'm not going to stoop to that level. Women who pretend this is the case are obviously overcompensating for their lack of intelligence or competence.

On second thought, don't worry about birth control. Just be celibate. Men over the world will be eternally grateful.

DoaA - There is having faith and then there is reality. I choose to live in the real world. He will one day be a teenager, and I don't know about you, but I remember my teenage years rather well, a little too well maybe. I know that all the knowledge in the world doesn't ultimately put the condom on his little “winky”, so I would just feel better knowing that even if he does something stupid (like have sex- protected or unprotected), there is a back up, one that he isn’t even aware of (that way he won’t rely on it and hopefully still put on that condom). I don’t really see the problem. Girls have been taking the pill for decades, what’s the problem with giving it to our sons? Are you even a parent, or are you one of those parents in denial that your child/children are or one day will be having sex? As much as I would love to say that my precious little baby isn’t going to have sex until he’s a mature, married adult man- in reality, the chances of that happening is ZERO.

Yeah, what was that bit about the Israeli accent? How was that even relevant to the article?

I wish it had come sooner. My husband and I are 31, and he will have had a vasectomy by the time this pill hits the market.
Maybe my son will get to use it in the future? That would be great. I'm already worried about condoms being his only option for of b.c. when he chooses to become sexually active.

I don't understand the random comment about an Israeli accent. Was that really necessary? I also don't understand all the men-bashing comments regarding reminding your partner to take the pill. If you don't trust the person you are having sex with, well you shouldn't be having sex with that person. And if you are having one-night stands and hoping that some random guy isn't lying about taking the pill (since, women would NEVER lie about being on the pill), you should also be using condomns since pills don't prevent AIDS, herpes, and other STD's.

Basically, there will be the same concerns that men have about women taking the pill but now they'd be directed in the opposite direction.

Um kris while you were going off about Shine being anti jew did you actually read the article not only does that have nothing to do with the topic but she says a NICE jewish voice so please stop taking your frustrations out on a web article and pay attention next time before you make a fool of yourself.

as for the topic at hand i would love for my husband to take over some of the responsibility of birth control I mean with raising 3 kids going to school part time and working who has time to remember to take that little pill and considering they are more terrified of us getting pregnant than we are they should have some of the responsibility associated with contraceptives and not just slipping on a condom and pulling out

For me, the reason why I am not on birth control is because I am against the method in which the hormonal method and IUDs work- they prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus (along with other ways), therefore essentially killing your child. It doesn't bother me if other people use this form, but I personally could not do it. If it worked solely by preventing conception, I would not have a problem with it. Therefore, I think that this would be a good option for me, and I fully would trust my partner to take it consistently. I cannot see this becoming as popular as traditional methods, though I think for people like me it, it is something to consider.

The article writer says "Some would say this isn't fair, but women get to experience the miracle of childbirth, so in a way, it evens out."

You're comparing just mere inconvenience of putting on a condom to the horrors and pain of childbirth? AND you're calling it a miracle? Were you on drugs when you wrote this?

I love the idea. If I were married to a trustworthy man, it would be great. But as a single woman, I wouldn't trust him to take care of it at all. Once we get pregnant, men still get to walk away, the same as now. But it might be a nice back-up if both members of the couple took it. But it really is important that women protect themselves. Don't trust anyone else to look out for your best interest. They are too busy looking out for their own.
This also makes me think about the boyfriends who have tried to get me pregnant in order to trap me. In the past I have had to lock up my pills. I could not give them this power.

I really wouldn't call the NuvaRing invasive. I mean... I use tampons, so what the heck is the difference.

@Cherokee: The vagina is made for only one purpose? Oh really? So, according to you either - a) having a baby naturally or b) having sex - is abuse as both involve something entering the vagina (though from opposite ends). Your comment is utterly ridiculous and entirely offensive. It's none of your business what ANY woman, particularly those you've never met who frequent a WOMEN's magazine website, choose to place inside themselves. So uh, shut up. Thanks.

my husband said he wouldnt take it. he only would if i could not take mine anymore for some medical reason

Sarah, most hormonal birth control pills (those that contain estrogen), the patch, and the Nuva Ring do not work by preventing the fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus. They work by preventing ovulation, so there is no egg to fertilize. I think you are mixing them up with the Progesterone only methods which do work primarily by preventing implantation (though they can inhibit ovulation too).

haha... this is so funny. Im on the shot (and love it) but i hate the side effects. like my arm hurts for like a week... and i can get moody... and every time i get it i always say to my bf, "why cant you take birth control?" and his response is always "if they had it, i would" and now look... HAHA... but I wouldn't want him to take it. he would forget with out my reminding him. and since im already use to getting my shot, why fix whats not broken?

If there were seriously no side effects for my husband? I'd be all over this. I haven't had a birth control yet that didn't cause side effects.

My Boyfriend is adamant on waiting for kids until we are married and at least 28. He reminds ME to take my pill, so YES I would trust him 100% to take the pill. I'm the forgetful one, not him.