When we think about contraception most people come back to the four or five most popular methods

• There is a male form of contraception that is further along in research and trials than an other. A gel is applied daily to a man’s arms and shoulders and the idea is that it shuts down the hormones that are responsible for stimulating testosterone production in the testes which in turn lowers sperm production. Trials are ongoing but this summer a major global trial will commence and the gel will be relied upon as the only form of contraception for twelve months. 
• A male contraceptive pill is in the early phase of testing. In the beginning stages, it appeared that it might involve taking two pills per day but recent studies have shown that taking one per day could be as effective. The idea is that the pill will work in a similar way to the gel suppressing sperm production. It is believed that if this form of contraception was approved and available on the market, it will be virtually side-affect free.
• A Male contraceptive injection. A recent trial showed that this was 96% effective in preventing pregnancy. About 300 men took part in the trial. They had two hormone injections (progesterone and a form of testosterone) every eight weeks and were monitored for six months. The trial was interrupted due to side effects like acne but continues to be developed and researched.