1A

The Future Of Sperm-Related Birth Control


Listen Later

The burden of finding the right birth control method typically falls to the person who can get pregnant. Some 90 percent of females have taken a contraceptive at some point in their lives, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Currently, there are just two birth control options for people who produce sperm: a vasectomy or condoms. That could change soon. Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College discovered that a drug used to treat eye disease temporarily stopped sperm production in mice – hours later, fertility was restored.

The researchers think they've taken a step toward developing a potential non-hormonal birth control drug that can be taken in the hours before sex to stop sperm from swimming.

We discuss why it's taken so long to develop a birth control pill for sperm and how birth control for men could change reproductive politics.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find us on Twitter @1A.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

1ABy NPR

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

4,445 ratings


More shows like 1A

View all
Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,430 Listeners

The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The New Yorker Radio Hour

6,881 Listeners

The NPR Politics Podcast by NPR

The NPR Politics Podcast

26,012 Listeners

On the Media by WNYC Studios

On the Media

9,238 Listeners

On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti by WBUR

On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

4,022 Listeners

Reveal by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

Reveal

8,471 Listeners

Here & Now Anytime by NPR

Here & Now Anytime

1,020 Listeners

Science Friday by Science Friday and WNYC Studios

Science Friday

6,467 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

113,121 Listeners

Up First from NPR by NPR

Up First from NPR

56,944 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

16,512 Listeners

Consider This from NPR by NPR

Consider This from NPR

6,462 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

16,525 Listeners

Trump's Terms by NPR

Trump's Terms

419 Listeners

Sources & Methods by NPR

Sources & Methods

873 Listeners