| And it is hoped the work could help
pave the way for such a form of contraception to become more widely
available.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh are hoping to
recruit 20 couples from the south east of Scotland to take part in the study - which
is being run by the World Health Organisation.
Fully reversible
The injections contain the hormones testosterone and
progesterone, and are given to the men every two months.
Sperm counts fall rapidly, and when these are low enough
couples taking part in the trial would use the jabs as their method of
contraception for a year.
Scientists also stress that the effects of the injections are
fully reversible.
Professor Richard Anderson of Edinburgh University's
reproductive and development sciences division said: "If this trial is successful I
imagine there would be interest in looking at marketing the
injection as a male contraceptive.
400 couples
"Even if not all men would be keen on an injection, there
would definitely be a market to make such a treatment available."
The study will involve 400 couples from 10 centres across
Europe, Asia, South America and Australia.
And Professor Anderson said: "This larger study is needed to
add to the evidence as to how good these longer acting injections are and
what couples think about it."
The study is looking to recruit couples where the man is aged
under 45 and the woman is under the age of 37.
Courtesy of http://news.bbc.co.uk
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