Male contraception, so little known ...

C’est un sujet de société relativement peu abordé dans les médias et qui peine à briser les clichés autour de la masculinité. La plupart des personnes qui s’y intéressent l’ont découverte au détour d’une conversation ou bien d’une émission. Pourtant, la contraception masculine ne date pas d’hier. Alors, pourquoi est-elle si méconnue et particulièrement en France ?

Family schedule recognizes it itself: feminists have bet everything on female contraception in the post-war years.It was a way of asserting a freedom and a recovery of your own body.But what was a symbol of freedom has very largely became a mental charge, not to mention the complications that this can bring for the health of women.It has been ten years now that the association has organized permanence to publicize male contraception.

There are officially four methods.It is useful to remember that all these methods have no impact on erection and ejaculation.The best known is the use of male condoms.But, for better sensations, it is often abandoned, which therefore amounts to bringing contraception to women.

Hormonal contraception is another method which consists of a reversible treatment allowing, according to a protocol validated by the World Health Organization (WHO), to act on the production of sperm, but only a dozen doctors offer it in France.

There is also thermal contraception, which is starting to be more and more known.This consists in bringing up the testicles in the inguinal channels and keeping them in place thanks to an adapted underwear or a ring, which must be worn about fifteen hours a day.Due to the increase in temperature, the production of sperm is blocked.

Vasectomy is the fourth method, and probably one of the best known because it scares some.It is a surgical operation which consists in cutting or blocking the deferential channels which transport the sperm.It lasts five minutes under local anesthesia.It is not necessarily irreversible, there is about 50 % chance of going back.In many countries where it is widespread, it is even an operation that is done with friends, like a stage in life that is celebrated.

Natalist and patriarchal tradition

In seven countries, the prevalence of male sterilization is greater than that of female sterilization: in New Zealand (44 % of men over 40), in Australia (25 %), in the United Kingdom, in Korea in KoreaSouth, Spain, Bhutan and the Netherlands.In France in 2010, 1,000 men used vasectomy, a figure that jumped in 2018 reaching 9,240 followers, according to health insurance figures.In 2019, 13,205 men did the operation.But in Canada, around 60,000 a year for years.

In France, there are no longer state campaigns in favor of female contraception.Only 3 % of women between 15 and 49 years old do not use any contraception.Conversely, nothing is done to enhance male contraception.Public authorities and laboratories are disinterested because the first concerned consider that contraception is an exclusively feminine subject.This reluctance is also linked to a natalist and patriarchal tradition in France.We can even consider that brakes are brought: doctors are not trained, in general it is the patients themselves who teach them the different methods;And vasectomy must be practiced in an establishment and by a surgeon, often urologist, when abroad is done in the medical office with his attending physician.

The substance of the problem is that very often these methods are seen as attacks on virility.We are once again touching a form of patriarchy.We associate loss of fertility with loss of virility.It is often heard that men can procreate all their lives.Questioning this state of affairs seems to be too great involvement.

One thing is certain, contraception - masculine or female - is the business of all and undoubtedly deserves a broader debate than a simple evocation.

Article published in the December 2021 issue.