What is the 'male pill??

For men, their choice of contraception is currently limited to deciding between condoms, a vasectomy, or abstinence.

However, scientists are currently working to develop a male contraceptive pill that will allow men to control their fertility, in much the same way that the female contraceptive pill allows women to.

How will it work?

The male contraceptive pill is likely to work by blocking sperm production, using a combination of the sex hormones progestogen and testosterone. It is likely to become available as either a single pill or a longer-acting implant.

However, as it only takes a single sperm to create a new life, scientists face a considerable challenge in trying to develop a pill that is 100% effective in every man, all of the time.