Presenter: Brian M. Ramos

Faculty Sponsor: Angela Bateman

School: Cape Cod Community College

Research Area: Sociology and Anthropology

Session: Poster Session 2, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM, Auditorium, A71

ABSTRACT

The contraceptive market reveals a striking gender disparity: while a wide range of contraceptive options exist for women, men’s choices remain limited to condoms and vasectomies. This inequity underscores how reproductive responsibility has been disproportionately placed on women, reflecting broader structural imbalances in health research and development. This study examines the biological, economic, and sociocultural barriers that contribute to this disparity, ranging from the difficulty of suppressing sperm production to the industry’s reluctance to invest in less profitable male contraceptives. Drawing on a review of scientific literature, clinical trial reports, and industry analyses, the study explores how these obstacles have slowed progress in developing male contraceptives. It also questions the gendered double standard that has tolerated significant side effects for female contraceptives in clinical trials while halting male trials for comparatively milder reactions. The research argues that the limited development of male contraceptives is not merely a scientific gap but a reflection of systemic inequities in how reproductive labor, risk, and responsibility are distributed.