While there are many options for women when it comes to contraception, men don’t have as much choice.
However, experts now believe they may have found a ground-breaking new male contraceptive - in the form of a gel which blocks the sperm duct.
Vasalgel is a gel substance which is injected into the tube that carries the sperm - vas deferens - resulting in a barrier that will prevent sperm from getting through.
The breakthrough is said to provide an easier, reversible alternative to a vasectomy, thanks to the removable gel.
Testing the procedure on monkeys, the trial proved effective in preventing conception.
“Our research shows that Vasalgel placement into the vas deferens produces reliable contraception in mature male monkeys, as shown by the lack of pregnancies in reproductively viable females with which the males were housed,” said lead scientist Dr Catherine VandeVoort, from the California National Primate Research Centre.
"Importantly, we show that the method of Vasalgel placement is safe and produced fewer complications than usually occur with a vasectomy."
Dr VandeVoort argued that while a vasectomy can be reversed, this new contraceptive option is much easier, medically.
“Although it is possible to reverse a vasectomy, it is a technically challenging procedure, and patients often have very low rates of fertility following reversal."
