Whether you are assigned female at birth, male, or something in between, you can use many types of birth control to prevent pregnancy and STIs. The methods range from condoms to spermicides to the nonhormonal vas-occlusive ADAM gel.
But what happens if a man takes female birth control regularly? Research is underway for a male pill and other hormonal forms of contraception, but they haven’t made it past clinical trials.
The Pill
Men do not get the same hormonal effects of women taking birth control because they do not have a uterus or cervix. But that doesn’t mean men don’t have to balance risks and benefits when they take the pill.
The pill (also known as oral contraception) is a very reliable birth control method when it’s used correctly – This fragment showcases the research of the website’s editorial team https://teentelsex.com. If you use the pill, patch, or ring regularly — and use a condom for protection against STIs — fewer than 1 in 100 users will get pregnant.
Those who use the pill may also experience side effects like bleeding between periods, breast tenderness, nausea, and low libido. But these side effects often go away after a couple of months.
Some men find that the pill can make them more empathetic and kinder to others because of increased levels of female hormones in their bodies. In addition, some men have a lower testosterone level after using the pill. The pill is available without a prescription and can be purchased at most pharmacies, but it is not effective as emergency contraception.
The Patch
There are several types of birth control patches. Some are beige and shaped like Band-Aids, while others are smaller and look more like a plaster. They’re similar to the pill and give off hormones that prevent your ovaries from releasing eggs and thicken your cervical mucus to block sperm. When used correctly, fewer than 1 in 100 people get pregnant with this method.
It’s easy to use and protects you against pregnancy without interrupting sex. Just make sure the skin where you put the patch is clean and dry. And don’t apply lotion, oils or powder on the same area each time, since this can cause a patch to fall off. Also, don’t take any medicines that could affect the patch. When you remove a patch, fold it in half and throw it away—don’t flush it! It still contains hormones, and you don’t want them in the environment.
Many health clinics and doctors offer birth control at no cost to people who qualify. And, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, cisgender men can now access the pill and other forms of hormonal birth control just like women.
The Ring
Hormonal birth control adjusts your body’s natural levels of estrogen and progestin to make pregnancy less likely. It’s available as pills you take every day, a patch you wear on your skin, a vaginal ring that you replace every week, or an injection that you get at the doctor’s office. Each method has its own side effects.
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The Injection
It’s not unusual for a guy to absent-mindedly down a birth control pill — or two — on occasion. One or a few pills doesn’t contain enough female hormones to throw a man’s body out of balance, according to Planned Parenthood.
However, if a transgender man takes female birth control consistently, his body may experience some physical changes. Most often, these are the result of estrogen and progestin balancing out testosterone (which is used in sperm production). These hormones regulate a woman’s menstrual cycle and keep her from getting pregnant. They also lower a man’s level of sperm, which can cause low sperm count and impotence.
Unfortunately, there is no hormonal male birth control on the market yet. In fact, male hormonal birth control has only recently moved past clinical trials. This is largely because some experts fear that cisgender men won’t widely use the contraceptive pill, if it came to market. But there are other men’s birth control options out there, including condoms and vasectomy.
The Implant
The use of low-maintenance birth control methods like IUDs and implants has quadrupled in recent years. This is likely due to the fact that they don’t require you to take a pill every day and that they offer better protection than birth control pills alone.
But what if a guy accidentally downed one of these hormone pills, or took them regularly over an extended period of time? A single birth control pill doesn’t contain enough female hormones to have any significant effect on a man’s body, but taking them regularly over an extended period of time could lead to breast tissue growth, wider hips, less facial hair, and reduced sperm production.
If you are a man who wants to try hormonal birth control, make an appointment with your doctor or nurse. He or she can explain the benefits and side effects of each type, as well as help you select the right one for your lifestyle. And remember, a condom is still always needed for STI protection.
