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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Murine Prostate Micro-dissection and Surgical Castration

Murine Prostate Micro-dissection and Surgical Castration

Published on: May 11, 2016

Steroid hormones for contraception in men.

D A Grimes¹, L M Lopez, M F Gallo

¹Family Health International, Clinical Research, Post Office Box 13950, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA. dgrimes@fhi.org

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

|April 20, 2007

Summary

Male hormonal contraception using sex steroids shows potential but is not yet clinically ready. Further large-scale, methodologically rigorous trials are needed to confirm efficacy and safety.

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Area of Science:

Reproductive Endocrinology
Contraception Research
Clinical Trials Methodology

Background:

Male hormonal contraception aims to suppress sperm production using sex steroids.
Testosterone suppression necessitates 'add-back' therapy to maintain normal levels.
Developing effective and safe male hormonal contraceptives remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

To systematically review and summarize findings from all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on male hormonal contraception.
To assess the efficacy of various hormonal regimens in achieving azoospermia or severe oligospermia.

Main Methods:

Comprehensive search of multiple databases (CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, POPLINE, LILACS) up to March 2006.
Inclusion of all RCTs comparing steroid hormones for male contraception, excluding non-steroidal agents.
Primary outcome measure was azoospermia; data on pregnancy rates and side effects were insufficient.

Main Results:

Thirty RCTs met the inclusion criteria, evaluating various combinations of testosterone esters (enanthate, undecanoate) with progestins (levonorgestrel, desogestrel, etonogestrel, norethisterone enanthate) and MENT.
Efficacy in achieving azoospermia varied significantly across different hormonal formulations and dosages.
Specific regimens like levonorgestrel implants with testosterone enanthate, higher doses of desogestrel, testosterone undecanoate 1000 mg, and norethisterone enanthate every 8 weeks showed promising results.

Conclusions:

Currently, no male hormonal contraceptive method is ready for widespread clinical use.
Most included trials were small, exploratory studies with limited statistical power and imprecise results.
Future research requires robust RCTs with standardized definitions and adequate sample sizes to accurately evaluate efficacy and safety.