The treatment is a hormone-based gel, clear in colour and the consistency of hand sanitiser, that’s applied to the shoulders every morning, where it is quickly absorbed by the skin. Within weeks, the user’s sperm count plummets and – once levels are low enough – it can work as a couple’s only form of birth control.
Experts say there are few, if any noticeable side effects, and they hope it will work as well as the Pill, which is 99 per cent effective when taken perfectly.
Once a user stops using the medication, their sperm count should return to normal.
Segesterone acetate, also known in its synthetic form by the brand name Nestorone, is a form of the female sex hormone progesterone, which triggers a reaction in a man’s brain that makes his testes stop producing sperm. ‘In the same way the contraceptive Pill switches off a woman’s ovaries, this gel switches off the testes,’ Dr Fitzgerald explains.
Along with halting sperm production, the gel also stops the testes from producing natural testosterone, which is vital for healthy bodily function.
The added testosterone in the gel replaces the lost testosterone, preventing side effects.
‘You don’t want a man to be testosterone-depleted,’ says Dr Fitzgerald. ‘Otherwise you will get side effects such as reduced libido. It is also bad for general health, sense of wellbeing, and the health of muscles and bones.’
The testes may shrink slightly, but not significantly, during use, as sperm production is lower. But no serious adverse effects have been reported to date.
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