Use Of Ultrasound For Male Contraception: Concepts And Concerns

After a successful series of experiments on laboratory rats, scientists are now exploring the possibility of using ultrasonic waves as a birth control method in males. The project is still underway, but the big question is: Will the Ultrasound be able to zap the sperms effectively and safely?

Ultrasound And Its Clinical Implications

Ultrasound waves are inaudible, sound waves of very short wavelengths. The same properties also makes the ultrasound, a powerful diagnostic and therapeutic tool. Most of us are familiar with the application of ultrasound waves in the following fields:

• Visualization of growing fetus inside the mother’s womb.
• Visualization of tissues and organs inside the body to locate the site of ailment.
• Assessing and allowing the healthcare professionals to take tissue biopsies from the deep-seated invisible tumors inside the body organs
• Ultrasound waves are also popularly used to facilitate the healing process and manage the symptoms of deep musculoskeletal pain.

But this is not it. According to latest research, investigators believes that ultrasound may have some application in achieving temporary male contraception. Although, the idea is still in the experimental stages, it is believed that it may revolutionize the birth control industry.

Animal-Based Studies In The Area Of Male Contraception Using Ultrasound

According to a new study reported in the Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology journal (1), investigators suggested that ultrasound waves directed on the rats’ testes can decrease the sperm count to a level, low enough to achieve effective contraception. James Tsuruta and colleagues from the North Carolina School of Medicine conducted an experiment on Sprague-Dawley rats. The investigators anaesthetized the rats and tightly held their testes with a ligature and exposed the tissue to high frequency Ultrasound waves of 3 MHz. The resultant effect was:

• Complete depletion of spermatids and spermatocytes within the testicular tissue.
• Reduction in the size of epididymal cell reserve.

The investigators explained that the testes were initially warmed to the human body temperature of 37° C and the desired results were obtained in two sessions (the length of each session was 15 minutes and were two days apart). The technique helped in reducing the sperm count to 3 Million/ml of semen.

This first ever study of this type was conducted in 1970 by Mostafa S. Fahim and fellows in which it was showed that the infertility and depletion of germ cells caused by the ultrasound treatment is temporary.

What Is The Working Principle Of This Technique?

It is a well-known fact that ultrasound waves are sound waves that produces physical vibrations in the tissues (besides also generating the heat energy and tissue heating). According to the research, heat energy can also disrupt the cellular proteins to cause alteration in the gene expression of cells. This may also explain how ultrasound waves reduces the sperm production from the testis.

Clinical Study In Humans

In a clinical study conducted in 1970’s, men with prostate cancer were subjected to ultrasound therapy on testes before they undergo castration. The study participants reported that the procedure was painless and quite endurable.

Although, it is believed that the infertility caused by ultrasound waves is removable, a great deal of research is needed in order to determine the safety profile.

Why The Need For Male Contraception?

Contraception has taken a crucial part in the lives of today’s couples. More than 2/3^rd of couples in the US rely on some means of birth control (such as oral pills in women). In addition, about a quarter men use condoms and vasectomy for birth control, but the compliance rate is generally low. Ultrasound therapy can provide the couples with a new mode of achieving temporary contraception with minimal risk of long term complications.

Pros of using ultrasound waves as a contraceptive tool

• Technically simple and convenient in usage
• Localized and non-systemic with minimal risk of complications (as opposed to hormonal pills)
• Non-surgical and non-invasive
• Provides long acting effects but the effects are removable as opposed to vasectomy.

Issues and concerns

There are still many questions unanswered, especially regarding the safety and efficacy of ultrasound use for such serious matter. In addition, it is yet to discover how long the effects would last and how many sessions can be performed without causing a permanent damage to the sensitive testicular tissues.

References

1. Tsuruta, J. K., Dayton, P. A., Gallippi, C. M., O'Rand, M. G., Streicker, M. A., Gessner, R. C., ... & Sokal, D. C. (2012). Therapeutic ultrasound as a potential male contraceptive: power, frequency and temperature required to deplete rat testes of meiotic cells and epididymides of sperm determined using a commercially available system. Reprod Biol Endocrinol, 10(7).

2. Kanakis, G. A., & Goulis, D. D. (2016). Male contraception: a clinically-oriented review. Hormones (Athens, Greece).

3. VandeVoort, C. A., & Tollner, T. L. (2012). The efficacy of ultrasound treatment as a removable male contraceptive in the rhesus monkey. Reprod Biol Endocrinol, 10, 81.