The success of a renewed interest in the use of ultrasound as a male contraceptive method was published in the BioMed Central's open access journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology on January 29, 2012.
The advantages of ultrasound are low cost, reliability, reversibility, portability, and compliance with international standards for low sperm concentration. The procedure that worked best was two fifteen minute treatments separated by two days.
Birmingham has an extraordinarily high rate of single parent births and unwed births. This statistic is as high as 72 percent in some Birmingham populations. In comparison those countries like Holland who teach birth control in schools (you opt in or out you are not forced by any government or school to participate) and off birth control readily to young people have a teen birth rate of less than 2 in 1000 compared with Birmingham's 27 to 32 per 1000.
In Alabama "Of the 59,979 live births in Alabama in 2010, 42 percent were born to unmarried mothers, and 12.4 percent were born to women 19 and younger." according to the latest census data. This rate of unmarried births increases health care costs for everyone in Alabama and can produce poor parenting and resultant behavioral problems in children.
The research was done with rats as a first stage that aims to use this procedure (if successful and proven safe for humans) as a means to control unwanted births in undeveloped countries as well as a alternative to present birth control methods in developed countries.
Dr. James Tsuruta of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill led the research and responded to these questions by e-mail.
1) Would the sonic control of sperm be a portable device that individuals could use or would it have to be administered by a physician.
The therapeutic ultrasound unit that we used in our study is the same as those used in physical therapy clinics. They are small and portable (like the size of a toaster oven). Ours even has an option to be run by an optional lithium battery for "field use." The units are very inexpensive as medical apparatus go but would probably be too expensive for an individual (ours was in the range of $1500).Its not clear how the use of therapeutic ultrasound would be regulated as a contraceptive. My understanding is that presently, physical therapists are the main operators of this type of equipment. Obviously, trained personnel would be required to administer the treatment.
2) How long - approximately - will it be until the procedure is on the market for the public.
Our studies in the rat are establishing the basic science needed to be sure that this method is safe, effective and reversible. Therapeutic ultrasound equipment is readily available so in terms of technology it is available "off the shelf." In terms of establishing a safe method for clinical use, the more investigators that enter this field of study, the faster it will come to market. It is crucial to emphasize, "Don't try this at home!" a lot of work needs to be done to ensure that the method is safe, effective and reversible. However, a good deal of progress could be made in the next few years.
The research was first announced at the Eureka Alert web site on January 29, 2012.
Paper
Authors
James K Tsuruta*1, Paul A Dayton3, Caterina M Gallippi3, Michael G O’Rand1,2, Michael A Streicker4, Ryan C Gessner3, Thomas S Gregory3,6, Erick JR Silva1,2, Katherine G Hamil1,2, Glenda J Moser4, David C Sokal5
1The Laboratories for Reproductive Biology, Department of Pediatrics, 220 Taylor Hall, CB7500, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA 2Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, CB7090, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA 3Department of Biomedical Engineering, 152 MacNider Hall, CB7575. School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA 4Integrated Laboratory Systems, 601 Keystone Park Drive, Suite 100, Durham, North Carolina 27713, USA 5FHI, 2224 E. NC Highway 54, Durham, North Carolina 27713, USA 6Current address: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Center for Injury Biomechanics, 440 ICTAS Building, Stanger Street, Mail Code 0194, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
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