Why leave it all to women?

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10p Lon effects) that can be left in place (no need to carry it around or put in place at the last minute).

The Intra Uterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD) commonly known as the 'coil' sounds ideal - no chemicals and permanently in place.

Unfortunately this method has a lot of unpleasant side effects - not chemical. but things like heavy periods and cramps at the minor end to penetration through the wall of the uterus (womb) amongst the worst.

..I have already mentioned the diaphragm ('Dutch cap')

10p plus postage from Sickert Court, Jon N1 2SY. SPERM production is ultimately controlled by the brain. At puberty, the hypothalamus send hormones to the pituitary gland, on the underside of the brain. This gland then sends its own hormones to the testes which have been dormant until now.

One hormone, ESH, stimulates the maturing of sperm, while the other, LH, instructs cells in the testes to make testosterone. This is another hormone which directs the development of male sex characteristics - enlargement of penis and scrotum, growth of pubic and facial hair, etç.

After puberty, testosterone has little role to play. Sexual activity is so much under psychological influence that it can continue even in the complete absence of testosterone.

FSH and LH at a constant rate, involving only the testes. Production of sperm is therefore a much simpler system than egg production in women which involves cyclical changes in ovaries, womb and breasts as the body prepares for pregnancy each month.

Chemical approaches to stopping the sperm can be aimed at various levels in the system, but all seem to l ave side-effects except for gossy Vol.

Gossypol was discovered in cotton-seed oil in China and seems to act directly on the sperm, stopping them from storing energy during the maturing process. In a vain attempt to store energy, they burn up lots of food, generating useless heat and dying of starvation.

Gossypol

It is possible for gossypol to affect only sperm because their source of energy is different from other body cells. This fact makes side effects less likely. Since gossypol is cheaply available, side effects on drug companies might be more serious.

Three physical approaches to male contraception are possible:

The lowly condom has the advantage of being obvious in use and effective, though possibly aesthetically displeasing.

Castration, or removal of testes, is too drastic to catch on, but contrary to popular belief, does not necessarily affect sexual activity or masculine appearance. It is also the only cure for baldness!

Vasectomy seems the best once-and-for-all method - one which I have adopted myself.

It involved cutting the vas deferens, a long tube leading from the testes to the seminal vesicles where sperm are stored before passing out of the penis during ejaculation.

Sperm are therefore trapped in the testes and build up in quantity for a while. This causes a certain soreness and swelling, but the sperm are soon reabsorbed and no more are made.

All hormonal secretions continue as before.

Vasectomy is a minor operation, involving a local anaesthetic, a tiny incision, cutting and tying a tube and a single stitch.

It is usually painless, though I experienced a feeling like a rather mild slow-motion knee in the nuts. Afterwards, I didn't feel like riding my bike for a week or so, but everything was soon back to normal with not even a scar. It was about as bad as having a tooth out.

Return

Sometimes vasectomies can be reversed but often the body starts producing antibodies to escaped sperm since it has not met them before. This will hamper the return of fertility.

Vasectomy is suitabie for men who don't want kids or whose families are complete.

Changing one's mind afterwards need not be a problem even if reversal fails. After all for men, the act that results in conception marks the total biological contribution to the new life. In practical terms, the social contribution of a man to child-rearing should far outweigh it.

Male contraception does have problems in that malicious men can cause women to run risks of unwanted pregnancy.

Chemical contraception would therefore need to be supervised, with regular checks 50p for a single copy, 40p per copy for 5 or more, and 30p per cop for 20 or more, from Employment Unit, Southwark CVS, 135 Rye Lane, London SE15. Cheques payabl to Southwark CVS.

Please add an amount for postage. of fertility.

Vasectomies are not certified effective until two successive semen tests over three months have shown no sperms present. No man should be upset at having to show his letter confirming this fact.

In any case, male contraception should not be seen as a replacement for methods under women's control, though it may remove a great deal of the risk of some of these methods.

Diary 50p

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nternational news Organiser no.156 November

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