As technology and medicine develop, scientists make milestone findings in DNA research. One of the recent breakthroughs involves a gene discovery that makes likely the male contraceptive pill.
Contraceptive means have been an issue for such long time. While women had several options at hand to keep safe of an unwanted pregnancy at quite some worrisome occasions, men on the other hand were at ease.
For years now the overall take is that women should always be on some kind of contraceptive, while the men had left the condom, withdrawal and vasectomy. Out of these three, only the vasectomy carries actual safety, while the others are vulnerable to failure, and not many men are willing to subject their precious parts to such a procedure. British scientists are going to change that, by giving men the first male contraceptive pill.
Scientists with the Edinburgh University have made a gene discovery that could lead to a breakthrough in male contraceptives. For the first time ladies would get the chance to ask the worrisome and uncomfortable question: “Boo, you’re on the pill, right?” Also, for the first time men would experience by themselves what it’s like when we forget to take the pill one day.
Dr. Lee Smith with the Medical Research Council for Reproductive Health at the Edinburgh University explained: “The identification of a gene that controls sperm production in the way Katnal1 does is unique and a significant step forward in our understanding”.
Anyway, the gene discovery scientists in UK made is key in enabling sperm to mature. Katnal1 controls sperm production and will eventually lead to a male contraceptive pill that doesn’t have side effects. Scientists are now trying to find out how the gene actually works.
Smith also added that a drug that would target this particular gene in men is going to have reversible effects “because Katnal1 only affects sperm cells in the later stages of development, so it would not hinder his overall ability to reproduce”.
The scientists behind the project also found a way to permanently block Katnal1 and produce permanent sterility. The team referred to it as “genetic vasectomy”. But, the study also helped the team find essential elements that would help with unexplained male infertility cases.
The findings were praised by the Family Planning Association in UK: “This is an exciting development and we welcome as much research as possible into new ways for men to control their sexual health”.
