Contraception is one of those words that are spoken in hushed tones and looked down upon by several cultures and religions, especially in a country like India, where marriage and the subsequent bearing of children are considered sanctimonious. Childbirth is also considered one of the highest achievements in a woman’s life, but that’s a discussion for another day. Today, we need to discuss contraception and the role that men play in preventing pregnancy and the amount of responsibility they take in using contraception.
It’s no secret that since the beginning of time, women have had to bear the responsibility of not getting pregnant, while men who gleefully participate in the act of sex often fail to take accountability for birth control. The sad truth is that many men fail to grasp the importance of contraception or the trauma associated with an unplanned pregnancy and how it can affect a woman’s life and career.
Even though male contraceptives in the form of condoms have been around for more than 200 years, a UN report provides startling statistics about the most popular methods of birth control around the world. Female sterilisation, employed by 19.2% of women, is the most common method of birth control worldwide. The number two method is the IUD, used by 13.7% of women. Less common are short-term methods of birth control: 8.8% take the pill, 7.7% use male condoms, and 4.6% use injectables. The two least reliable methods – withdrawal and the rhythm method – are employed by 3.1% and 2.6% respectively. Only 2.4% of couples choose male sterilisation.
While these statistics are upsetting, to say the least, one thing is clear – the onus of avoiding pregnancy is on the women. The question is why?
A Brief History Of Birth Control Pills
The very first oral contraceptives were invented in the early 1960s, thanks to the efforts of Margaret Sanger, who faced enormous backlash throughout her life and career as a birth control activist. In 1960, the first oral contraceptive, named Enovid, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an effective contraception method.
In the early years, birth control pills were available only to married couples and banned for use by single women. It was a distressing time for single women, and many resorted to dangerous methods to terminate unwanted pregnancies. Finally, in 1972, the Supreme Court in the United States legalised birth control for all citizens of the country, irrespective of marital status.
In India, the story is slightly different. The first oral contraceptives were researched around the same time as the US research took place, but after the necessary clinical trials, the first drug of this type was approved by Indian authorities only in 1990.
Unfortunately, in India, the pill never became too popular. Whether it is due to the social stigma or the lack of education, awareness or access, the National Family Health Survey-3 statistics reveal that only 49% of Indian women use modern contraception such as the pill and IUDs. Out of the 49%, just 3.1% use the pill.
The Rise of Male Birth Control Pills
Recently, researchers at the University of Washington have begun clinical trials and they have found a certain line of oral contraceptives for men to be safe and effective. Many women reading about these clinical trials are breathing a sigh of relief, comforted by the thought that perhaps it is time for men to take more responsibility in this area. Meanwhile, men reading about the research are perhaps looking puzzled and confused, some even seem afraid that they are about to lose their ‘masculinity’.
The question that comes to mind is, why have we waited almost 70 years to research oral contraceptives for men? Has the opinion always been that women should be the ones to take measures to prevent pregnancy and continue to suffer the stigma attached to this choice, as well as the several side-effects of these drugs?
I recently came across a meme that got me thinking about this even more carefully. Men can impregnate 365 women in one year (or more, if you really think about it), while women can get pregnant and give birth only once a year. Considering this truth, shouldn’t there be more focus on male contraceptives or, at the very least, more emphasis on men taking responsibility for contraception?
The truth is that, as a society, we have always placed the responsibility for birth control heavily on women and we are quick to judge them in the harshest ways possible, if they are found to be sexually active, outside of marriage. The fear of an unplanned pregnancy has led women to take charge of birth control, while men have remained largely passive and ignorant about the various contraceptive options available, other than condoms.
In India, (and possibly other parts of the world), far from being the norm, sex before marriage, pregnancy, and motherhood outside marriage are deeply stigmatised. It appears that we have created a collective delusion that women are virgins until their wedding night and that pregnancy cannot occur without marriage.
No matter how much we want to shun the subject of sex, unplanned pregnancy and birth control, because of our own biases or sense of shame, it is time to acknowledge that Indians are having sex before marriage and pregnancy can happen with or without the stamp of marriage.
The important thing now is to change our mindsets and accept that the future has arrived. The traditional notion that men can take a back seat and women must bear all the responsibility has to change. The advent of the male birth control pill signifies more than just a new method of contraception for the male gender – it is a symbol of empowerment for both sexes.