The Australian reports

IT’S not often a doctor gives you the green light to have unprotected sex, but that’s what happened to Melbourne couple Daniel and Debra Hughes.

They’re part of a trial for a new male contraceptive. Once it was confirmed that the drug is working and the pair tested free of sexually transmitted diseases, they were encouraged to stop using traditional contraceptives and have sex.

“So we have,” Daniel Hughes says with a laugh.

The trial is being conducted in seven countries including Britain, Germany, India, Chile and Australia. The Hugheses chose to participate because Debra is unable to take the female contraceptive pill and they were fed up with condoms. Daniel considered a vasectomy, the only other readily available male contraceptive, but he couldn’t go through with it. A vasectomy isn’t easily reversed, and while the Hugheses have two boys, ages seven and 10, Daniel says: “I wasn’t totally convinced that I didn’t want another baby.”

The male contraceptive isn’t a pill but injections of testosterone and progesterone every eight weeks. “By administering these hormones it suppresses the body’s own intrinsic hormones involved in sperm production and in that way shuts off sperm production,” explains Kati Matthiesson, a clinical research fellow with the Male Reproduction Group at Prince Henry’s Hospital, site of the Melbourne trials.

Follicle stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone usually signal the testes to produce sperm. But, Matthiesson says, the testosterone and progesterone in the contraceptive suppress FSH and LH production, ensuring the testes stop making sperm. As well, these hormones are thought to block the production of the gonadotrophin releasing hormone, which is also important for sperm production. “By adding progesterone you are able to use less testosterone and still achieve contraceptive efficacy.”

A lower dose of testosterone reduces possible side effects seen in men who take high quantities of testosterone.

To read more check out The Australian.

And to watch the story of the male pill head to Catalyst.