Predictors of the attitude of highly educated adolescents towards modern male contraception methods: a pilot study.

Modern male contraceptive methods like the ‘male pill’ or Vasalgel could be a welcome addition to the current offer of contraceptive methods, because they offer men more reproductive autonomy. Little is known about factors that play a role in how men and women feel about modern male contraceptive methods (MAC). In the current study, the focus was on the extent to which young people’s current contraceptive satisfaction, traditional gender role ideas concerning contraception and open partner communication concerning contraception were related to the willingness to use MAC and the confidence in the consistent use of MAC. Data were collected among participants between 18 and 25 years old (n=161, 22% male) using an online survey. As hypothesized, traditional gender role ideas concerning contraception significantly predicted both the willingness to use MAC and the confidence in consistent MAC-use. This was not the case for current contraceptive satisfaction. Open communication with the partner concerning was related to confidence in consistent MAC-use, but not to the willingness to use MAC. When MAC are introduced to the market, mostly highly educated adolescents with non-traditional gender role ideas concerning contraception might be interested in using them. Challenging these gender role ideas could be a way to encourage willingness to try MAC