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The Revolutionary Birth Control Method for Men

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Re: The Revolutionary Birth Control Method for Men

#71
post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aside from the STD issue, a condom is a contraception method that is instantly verifiable. "It's okay baby, I have had the invisible sperm destroying procedure" is a bit harder to check.

Why are women on the pill any more trust worthy? I've known women who say they're on the pill just because they didn't wanna use/buy condoms. Surprise, surprise I now know people that have kids that probably shouldn't. Also, condom misuse is a big problem in general and is the cause of the low rate of success for condoms 85% vs proper use 98%. The people that need condoms the most (uneducated/young people) are the on…

Also, condom misuse is a big problem in general and is the cause of the low rate of success for condoms 85% vs proper use 98%. The people that need condoms the most (uneducated/young people) are the ones that just throw them on without making sure they know how to properly use them.

Yeah. As far as I'm concerned, kids should be taught to always use two redundant forms of birth control. No one form of (temporary) birth control has (afaik) higher than 98% success rate even when used perfectly.

Re: The Revolutionary Birth Control Method for Men

#72
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sign me up! I have 3 kids and the existing methods available for ensuring we don't have a 4th are, at best, inconvenient. (Condoms are annoying; the pill messes with my wife's emotions; and either of us getting snipped seems scarily irreversible.) I'll be keeping an eye open for trials here in the US and on any more news about this procedure trickling out from India. hooray for science!

Plus vasectomy sounds scary painful and potentially dangerous. I'm done having kids but I don't wanna get snipped. Granulomas? In MY testicles? It's more likely than I think.

Vasectomy isn't that bad. The procedure is moderately unpleasant but short (20-30 minutes), and the recovery is a few days of groin ache, easily treated by the topical application of a bag of frozen peas.

Re: The Revolutionary Birth Control Method for Men

#74

I would sign up for this procedure in a heartbeat, but it still doesn't get around the (albeit not perfect) STD protection condoms can provide. If this takes off, people probably won't wear condoms most of the time, and the number of people being diagnosed with STD's will skyrocket.

If this takes off, people probably won't wear condoms most of the time, and the number of people being diagnosed with STD's will skyrocket.

I don't understand this thinking. To me condoms have always been about STD protection and not pregnancy prevention. I'd like to think for most people this idea will not change. I mean if you barely know a girl and she tells you that she's on the pill so you don't need a condom that should be a giant, screaming in your ear red flag to put your clothes back on and run home. I don't see how this will be any different if a guy tells a girl the same thing.

Re: The Revolutionary Birth Control Method for Men

#75

I would sign up for this procedure in a heartbeat, but it still doesn't get around the (albeit not perfect) STD protection condoms can provide. If this takes off, people probably won't wear condoms most of the time, and the number of people being diagnosed with STD's will skyrocket.

This seems targeted as an alternative to a vasectomy, which also does not prevent STDs.

Re: The Revolutionary Birth Control Method for Men

#76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why are women on the pill any more trust worthy? I've known women who say they're on the pill just because they didn't wanna use/buy condoms. Surprise, surprise I now know people that have kids that probably shouldn't. Also, condom misuse is a big problem in general and is the cause of the low rate of success for condoms 85% vs proper use 98%. The people that need condoms the most (uneducated/young people) are the on…

What is "proper" condom use? Honest question, as I pretty much just roll a condom on... Is there more to it?

You didn't get the banana demonstration in high school?

For instance, If you don't leave a reservoir at the tip, it increases the possibility that the condom will break.

Re: The Revolutionary Birth Control Method for Men

#77
post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aside from the STD issue, a condom is a contraception method that is instantly verifiable. "It's okay baby, I have had the invisible sperm destroying procedure" is a bit harder to check.

Why are women on the pill any more trust worthy? I've known women who say they're on the pill just because they didn't wanna use/buy condoms. Surprise, surprise I now know people that have kids that probably shouldn't. Also, condom misuse is a big problem in general and is the cause of the low rate of success for condoms 85% vs proper use 98%. The people that need condoms the most (uneducated/young people) are the on…

Wow, these women are the height of irresponsibility.

Here's my theory about why people think that women are more responsible for birth control.

1. They are more directly affected by pregnancy. They are the ones who would have to bear the child or to have an abortion. Abortions are not fun. Vacuuming your uterus is probably not a pleasant experience. Of course, I'm being somewhat flippant. I do think that women who have foresight and intelligence are responsible human beings who try to have children only when they want to. Of course, there are cultural and socioeconomic issues at play here. I"m not trying to suggest that men are not affected by children, but they don't need to bear the physical consequences. So birth control is more of an abstract conception for men. Although they bear the financial consequences...sometimes.

2. The idea that women are more responsible in general. Of course, this is a terrible and misguided stereotype. I know many irresponsible women (One similar to your story - she has two kids now.)If women seem more responsible, it's probably because society teaches women to be responsible and risk-averse from birth.

EDIT: for grammar and formatting.

Re: The Revolutionary Birth Control Method for Men

#78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"We also have far fewer snake-oil salesmen ripping people off for cures" Yet we still have chiropractors and homeopathy.

Hold on - Chiropractors are in the same class as homeopathy? I thought Chiropractors (which, admittedly, I've never been to, but have heard many good things about - particularly when people need to get their back "adjusted") were in the same class as Acupuncturists - kind of easternish philosophy, but effective within their domain. Not so much focussed on increasing health, as enhancing comfort (or reducing pain) wit…

If chiropracty works, it would be a surprise given the history. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiropractic_history for more details, but basically it was founded by a complete crackpot and there's no reason to believe it should work.

Further, many studies have found weak effects, no effects, and negative effects. When you see this kind of evidential pattern, it almost always means that the effect isn't real and we're just seeing experimental error. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiropractic#Evidential_basis

That said, the placebo effect for something like chiropracty or massage can be very strong - and the placebo effect is real! Giving someone a saline shot creates a stronger effect than giving them a sugar pill; I don't know where chiropracty exists on that spectrum.

Re: The Revolutionary Birth Control Method for Men

#79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"We also have far fewer snake-oil salesmen ripping people off for cures" Yet we still have chiropractors and homeopathy.

Hold on - Chiropractors are in the same class as homeopathy? I thought Chiropractors (which, admittedly, I've never been to, but have heard many good things about - particularly when people need to get their back "adjusted") were in the same class as Acupuncturists - kind of easternish philosophy, but effective within their domain. Not so much focussed on increasing health, as enhancing comfort (or reducing pain) wit…

PBS did a report on alternative medicine, including Chiropractic. They didn't have much good to say:

http://www.ncahf.org/news/saf.html

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