#Birth control options free

A male body could make more sperm afterward. Drugs targeting the male sperm without harming the stem cells that make more, or blocking a receptor needed to make sperm the way YCT529 does, could, in theory, be reversible. The male body generates about 1,500 sperm per second, whereas the female body is born with a finite number of eggs, Johnston said. One sperm-blocking drug, which the startup YourChoice Therapeutics, in Berkeley, California, is developing as the first “male birth control pill,” has generated buzz, especially among those who believe the responsibility of birth control shouldn’t fall exclusively on those with uteruses. There was excitement in his voice as he talked about promising, albeit extremely early, research: Scientists have discovered antibodies that glom on to sperm to stop them from swimming, and have targeted drugs that would block receptors needed to make sperm. Research on hormone-free birth controlĮffective, nonhormonal choices are important, said Daniel Johnston, chief of the National Institutes of Health Contraception Research Branch. Assuming typical use, Phexxi prevents pregnancy at about the same rate as condoms. Phexxi, a vaginal gel meant to be inserted an hour before sex, was approved by the FDA in 2020 - the first new nonhormonal option cleared by the agency since the 1980s. The handful of hormone-free contraceptives, such as diaphragms or cervical caps, don't work as well. and are highly effective at preventing pregnancy.

Hormonal pills, second only to permanent sterilization, are the most common female contraceptives in the U.S. Most hormonal contraceptives - which include the birth control pill, the long-acting patch, injections, the vaginal ring, the implant and the intrauterine device, or IUD - contain synthetic versions of the same two sex hormones, progesterone and estrogen. Available products are likely years away. Scientists and biotech startups have started to develop new nonhormonal birth control methods, but they're still in the lab and animal study stage, and face a lack of funding.

#Birth control options free

Yet, out of the long list of brands and devices, only a handful are free of hormones. In addition, the FDA is considering a French pharmaceutical company's request to sell over-the-counter birth control pills. The Food and Drug Administration has approved more than 250 contraceptives, and the Affordable Care Act mandates insurance coverage, at least for the generic versions. “People are more educated than ever about the importance of what they put in their bodies,” said Romm, author of “Hormone Intelligence.” “Hormonal birth control has barely changed since it was first discovered, and women want an alternative.”īy some measures, there's no shortage of birth control.