The acceptability of an injectable, once-a-month male contraceptive in China

An acceptability study of an injectable preparation of the synthetic steroid testosterone undecanoate as a once-a-month male contraceptive method was carried out concurrently with, but independently from, a clinical safety and efficacy trial of this preparation in China, from 1997 to 1999.

Three hundred eight men, the entire group of volunteers enrolled in the clinical trial, were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. In addition, 24 sessions of focus group discussions and 54 in-depth interviews were conducted with a broad range of stakeholders, including men enrolled in the trial and their wives, potential users, service providers, principal investigators of the six participating clinical trial centers, provincial and national policy makers, and experts engaged in research and development of male methods of contraception.

Overall, men found the regimen to be acceptable, and most reported no change or an improvement in their well-being as a result of participating in the clinical study. The frequency of the injections, monthly semen analyses and the need to use another contraceptive method during the period of sperm suppression were reported inconveniences of the trial.

Further research is needed to assess the long-term safety, continuation rates, satisfaction among users and issues related to service delivery.