Abortion rates have been declining over the last few decades in developed countries, due to the increased availability of modern contraception and sexual education in schools.
This study explores how the Netherlands has the lowest abortion rate in the world, due to the country's emphasis on the importance of contraception - they teach children at primary school about sexuality and family planning.
So, if you don't like abortions (not naming any names) try giving people more information and access to healthcare instead of taking it away, ok?
Anyway, good news in the world of increased reproductive choice people, a new Male contraceptive option could be well on its way.
We've spoken a bit about the delays in the male pill reaching the mainstream here, but we are pleased to report that we are now a great step closer.
Vasalgel in a new multi-year contraceptive, that acts like a non-surgical vascetomy, with non-surgical removal.
VasalgelTM is a long-acting, nonhormonal contraceptive with a significant advantage over vasectomy: it is likely to be more reversible. The procedure is similar to a no-scalpel vasectomy, except a gel is injected into the vas deferens (the tube the sperm swim through), rather than cutting the vas (as is done in vasectomy). If a man wishes to restore flow of sperm, whether after months or years, the polymer is flushed out of the vas with another injection.
So far Vasagel has been successfully used in Monkeys, so we're pretty close!
Since some men during the study didn't handle the side-effects of hormonal contraception very well (that we've had for years and years and years and years etc) this would act in a similar way to the female, non-hormonal coil.
Men at the moment have essentially two contraceptive options - condom and vascetomy, with nothing in between.
Women, on the other hand, have a plethora of options, from femidoms and diaphragms, to IUDs and the trusty Pill, though many women still find it difficult to find a reliable and comfortable choice.
Hormones, as men in that study found out, create a lot a problems as well as being linked to increased instances of depression, and nonhormonal options are either tricky and inconvenient (see diaphragms) or painful and agitate the woman's cycle (see the copper coil).
It also puts all the onus on the woman to handle the pregnancy.
Though, we're sure lots of women like to be in control of their own contraception, it might be refreshing if a male partner could have a reliable, semi-permanent alternative so it wasn't always up to us, the whole time.
Men themselves also might take solace in the knowledge they wouldn't have to have a baby until they were also ready.
Essentially, choice is always a good thing when it comes to reproduction, so here's to Monkeys becoming men in the near future.
Daisy Murray is the Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, spotlighting emerging designers, sustainable shopping, and celebrity style. Since joining in 2016 as an editorial intern, Daisy has run the gamut of fashion journalism - interviewing Molly Goddard backstage at London Fashion Week, investigating the power of androgynous dressing and celebrating the joys of vintage shopping.
