BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhuanet) -- Men may soon be able to take a hormonal contraceptive pill to stop them producing sperm, after a new study has found the treatment is fully reversible, according to a report published in the April 29 issue of The Lancet.

    The study carried out by Australia's ANZAC Research Institute has found men who used the androgen therapy regained sperm output in a predictable fashion after ceasing treatment.

    The study examined 1,500 men aged 18-51 between 1990 and 2005. The average time for sperm recovery was 3.4 months. Factors associated with higher rates of recovery included older age, Asian origin, shorter treatment duration, and higher sperm concentrations at baseline. Although these factors affected the speed of recovery, sperm production recovered to levels compatible with fertility in all men.

    Currently, contraception for men is limited to condoms, vasectomy and withdrawal. For many couples these methods are not acceptable, since they are either not reliable or in the case of vasectomy, not easily reversible.

    "These findings pave the way for new contraceptive drugs that allow men to share the satisfaction and burden of family planning more fairly," principal researcher Dr. Peter Liu said.  Enditem

    (Agencies)