MCI recently had the privilege of collaborating with World Vasectomy Day organization at a summit in Lusaka, Zambia. This event brought together a diverse group of medical students and healthcare providers, all united by a common goal: to emphasize the crucial role of men in family planning.

​This blog series highlights pertinent publications that were featured in MCI's monthly newsletter editions in the third quarter of 2024. The purpose of this blog is to report interesting or relevant work from MCI Fellows, Grantees, staff members, and other community authors in the field of male contraception.

Vasectomy and condoms are the only current options for male contraception. The most popular form of long-acting male contraception is a vasectomy. Unfortunately, vasectomies are not considered truly reversible. Reversal of a vasectomy is often expensive, and requires a long surgery by a specialized provider.

​As men progress through their reproductive journey, it's important to consider how their reproductive health needs change with age. Personas are fictional characters that are useful for understanding the thoughts, interests, and needs of a specific target audience. MCI is using personas to contextualize the lived experiences of potential users, beneficiaries, and intermediaries with regard to male contraception. In doing so, we hope to gain a greater understanding of how novel male contraceptive products can serve the evolving needs of sperm producers.

Upon entering the second half of their reproductive journey, sperm producers are faced with having to make a concrete decision with regard to their family planning goals. Everyone’s reproductive health needs change over time, however, the evolving needs of sperm producers have not been contextualized to the same degree as egg producers. MCI has begun using personas in their ideation activities, in order to understand how men’s reproductive interests, change with age. Personas are fictional representations of potential male contraceptive users, beneficiaries, and intermediaries. Personas are creative tools that are incorporated into user-centered design exercises and allow organizations to identify user preferences and guide new product designs.

​As sperm producers grow older and progress through their reproductive journey, it becomes imperative to consider how their reproductive health needs change with age. Personas are fictional characters that are useful for understanding the thoughts, interests, and needs of a specific target audience. MCI is using personas to contextualize the lived experiences of potential users, beneficiaries, and intermediaries with regard to male contraception. In doing so, we hope to gain a greater understanding of how novel male contraceptive products can serve the evolving needs of sperm producers.

The future users of male contraception have a diverse range of needs, perspectives, and interests that are shaped by their own individual experiences. In order for male contraceptive researchers and advocates to better understand user perspectives, MCI has recently dedicated more attention to developing personas. Personas are fictional characters that are used to represent a certain type of user of a site, brand, or product. Personas are useful for understanding members of a specific type of market or target audience. Understanding the needs and interests of future male contraceptive users will aid in the development and rollout of new methods when they become available.

A persona is a fictional character created to represent a user type that might use a site, brand, or product in a similar way. They are incredibly useful tools in user-centered design, marketing, and other disciplines focusing on customers or “users”, and they are particularly useful during ideation activities for new products and services as they allow for the extrapolation of user preferences to inform attributes, thereby removing some of the ambiguity inherent in new product design.

Our most recent MCI Fellow Youmna Hashem sat down with us to discuss her interest in male contraception and motivation in her work. This blog post shares highlights from that conversation.

This blog series highlights pertinent publications that were featured in MCI's monthly newsletter editions in the second quarter of 2024. The purpose of this blog is to report interesting or relevant work from MCI Fellows, Grantees, staff members, and other community authors in the field of male contraception.

Celebrating Father’s Day allows us to honor both the journey of fatherhood as well as the role fathers play in children's lives. It's a day to appreciate the love, guidance, and support that fathers provide. But it’s also an opportunity to reflect on the evolving dynamics of family planning and the crucial role male contraception plays in empowering men to take control of their reproductive health and family planning decisions.

Reproductive aging is a natural process that impacts all people, yet it’s often surrounded by myths and misconceptions. As we age, our reproductive systems undergo significant changes that can impact fertility, hormonal balance, and overall health. Understanding these changes is crucial for making informed decisions about family planning and health management.

​In the realm of reproductive health and family planning, women have long borne the lion's share of responsibility. From birth control pills to IUDs, the array of options available to women far exceeds those for men. However, the landscape is shifting, and the future of male contraception is bright, offering new hope for shared reproductive responsibility.

This blog series highlights pertinent publications that were featured in MCI's monthly newsletter editions in the first quarter of 2024. The purpose of this blog is to report interesting or relevant work from MCI Fellows, Grantees, staff members, and other community authors in the field of male contraception.

March is Women's History Month, a time to honor the achievements and contributions of women throughout history and in contemporary society. As we at MCI look to celebrate the progress made in advancing gender equality and women's rights, we also recognize the role that male contraception can play in promoting reproductive autonomy for all individuals, regardless of gender. At MCI, we believe that empowering individuals with diverse contraceptive options is crucial for achieving true reproductive freedom.

MCI's Youth Advisory Board (YAB) offers an undergraduate research opportunity in an effort to engage young scholars in the field of male contraception. The YAB Project Grant is for undergraduate students all over the world seeking to advocate for male contraception. MCI's support allows students to receive mentorship and further their research experience through creating projects related to new male contraception. ​The opportunity was made available with support from the Parsemus Foundation and contributions from Male Contraceptive Initiative.

The prostate is part of the male reproductive system. A walnut-sized gland located between the male bladder and the penis, the prostate sits just in front of the rectum. The urethra runs from the bladder to the penis, through the center of the prostate.​

​As we embark on the journey to revolutionize family planning and contribute to the development of non-hormonal, reversible male birth control, it's essential to navigate the intricate landscape of clinical trials. Clinical trials play a pivotal role in vetting and approving new drugs, ensuring their safety and efficacy. However, the path to bringing innovative contraceptive solutions to market is riddled with challenges. In this blog post, we delve into the multifaceted challenges associated with clinical trials for non-hormonal, reversible male birth control and explore the strategies and considerations necessary to overcome these hurdles.

​In the pursuit of reproductive autonomy, it is imperative to foster an inclusive approach to contraception that transcends gender norms. As we champion a future where individuals of all genders share the responsibility for family planning, the development of new forms of non-hormonal, reversible male birth control emerges as a crucial step towards achieving this vision. In this blog post, we explore why everyone should rally behind and actively support the research, development, and accessibility of male contraceptives that offer safety, efficacy, and a pathway to shared responsibility in reproductive choices.