Birth control might not be just for women anymore.
British scientists are developing a pill for men to take a few hours before sex that would prevent the ejaculation of sperm.
The pill would suppress certain muscles that control ejaculation, resulting in a dry orgasm that would not affect performance or the sensation of pleasure, according to the researchers at King's College London.
The pill is hormone-free, and its affects wear off within 24 hours.
"It's not stopping sperm production, it's not a hormonal method, it's just simply stopping the muscle which takes the sperm along," said Dr. Christopher Smith of King's College.
The scientists made the discovery by accident when they documented that certain drugs were preventing ejaculations in patients being treated for high blood pressure and schizophrenia.
Researchers said this would be a much easier method of male contraception.
For years scientists have worked on developing hormone pills similar to those currently used by over 100 million women.
Other methods that were studied in the past five years include implanting tiny rods under the skin of the arm to deliver hormones commonly found in female birth control pills. This required testosterone injections every four to six weeks in the yearlong study.
Though the pill may be easy to take and hormone-free, there is some speculation as to how men will react to the notion of using birth control.
Ten years ago, birth control options were limited for men. A survey in 1997 by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, a health research and education organization, found that more than 66 percent of male and female respondents believed that men should play a bigger role in the choice and use of contraception.
A more recent study, according to ABC News, found that 55 percent of men would be willing to use a male birth control pill.
"It sounds better than a condom to me," said J.R. Stepherson, a senior music business major at The University of Memphis.
He said that he could understand how some men would be opposed to the idea, because there are chauvinistic guys in the world who probably think that it's the woman's responsibility.
"It would also be hard to convince a lot of guys that you are getting the same experience," he said.
Jennifer Ontog, adjunct instructor of English at The U of M, said that men should consider using birth control as part of their responsibilities, especially if there are no hormones involved.
She said any male in a relationship should take it seriously, but she would understand if he felt his masculinity was in jeopardy.
"It's a guy's instinct to spread his seed," she said.
Researchers said that the pill will not prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, and will be available in four to five years if it passes its clinical tests.
