— A 2011 study in the United States reported that 49% of pregnancies were unintended in 2006 []. Across the globe, this type of trend has contributed directly to maternal mortality, as well as the ethical, social, and financial costs associated with abortions and deliveries to single mothers. The high rate of unplanned pregnancies, especially in teenagers, is, in part, due to the lack of contraceptive alternatives for men. Male contraceptive options are limited, at best, with the most prominent and widespread options being condom-use and vasectomies. An effective male contraceptive would undoubtedly help to reduce unplanned pregnancies. Surveys conducted around the world have indicated that, whatever the setting, at least 25% of men would consider using drug-based contraception, even if it meant affecting their own hormone levels []. Researchers at Harvard Medical School and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have designed a small molecule that dramatically reduces the generation of viable sperm, without affecting hormone levels, potentially providing a new way for men to combat unplanned pregnancy. Continue reading An Anti-Cancer Drug with Male Contraceptive Properties