Forget condoms and vasectomies — scientists have found a simple contraceptive procedure for men that could be a painless and less expensive alternative to surgery.
Just two 15-minute ultrasound treatments could provide months of protection against pregnancy, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in the US.
The research, led by Dr James Tsuruta in the Department of Paediatrics, confirmed the positive contraceptive results of ultrasound, which lasted more than two and a half months when tested on lab rats.
Therapeutic ultrasound is usually used to relieve muscle pain and increase circulation to joints, which works through gently heating the area it is applied to.
To produce sperm, the testicular region needs to be slightly cooler than the rest of the body, and when ultrasound is applied to that area, it warms the testes to a temperature in which the sperm is no longer able to survive.
The use of ultrasound treatments as a possible contraceptive was first tested over 35 years ago, but the research did not garner viable results and was not taken seriously.
Now, thanks to Dr Tsuruta's new research, the procedure is regaining momentum among medical circles.
"Sperm production is very robust; this ensures the survival of a species," said Dr Tsuruta. "It's really difficult to find a way to turn off the production of sperm, but ultrasound seems to do the trick… it caused 10-times lower sperm counts than just applying heat."
Studies have also been made into the effects of ultrasound on other species, including on dogs by scientists in Italy, and on monkeys (the closest animal to human beings genetically) by researchers at the University of California-Davis in the US.
The UC-Davis team found that three 30-minute sessions could prevent fertility from returning in monkeys for approximately six weeks, and also proved that the treatments could effectively be reversed.
Ultrasound equipment is already widely used by doctors and physiotherapists around the world, making it a procedure easy to administer by non-physicians.
Further research still needs to be conducted, and there are a number of concerns about safety, effectiveness and the rate at which the method wears out over a period of time, but some experts believe it is a course worth pursuing.
Elaine Lissner, director of the Male Contraception Information Project (MCIP), a not-for-profit organisation in the US, spoke positively about the procedure, saying:
"It would be the first truly new male contraceptive in over a century," she said, "and would be one of the only contraceptive leads out there that has so few access issues, being based on equipment already in medical offices all over the world.
"We think it's worth giving it a chance."
Have your say: men, would you have this procedure done or ladies, what you like your partner to have it done?
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