Serendip is an independent site partnering with faculty at multiple colleges and universities around the world. Happy exploring!
Men giving birth?
Biology 103
2003 Second Paper
On Serendip
Men giving birth?
Vanessa Herrera
A leading British fertility expert, Lord Winston, says it should be possible for a man to carry a baby to term and then deliver it by a Caesarean section. In Winston's view, modern medical technology will soon allow homosexual male couples to bear children, or allow a heterosexual male to carry a child if his wife is unable to for medical reasons.
"Male pregnancy would certainly be possible and would be the same as when a woman has an ectopic pregnancy -- outside the uterus -- although to sustain it, you'd have to give the man lots of female hormones," Winston told the Times. He will outline the concept in his new book, The IVF Revolution. IVF stands for in vitro fertilization.
Winston acknowledges that there could be a few problems with the technique. Among other things, the man could experience internal bleeding -- and he might grow breasts. "I don't think there would be a rush of people wanting to implement this technology," he said. (1)
Presently, researchers are now busy perfecting a reliable birth-control drug for men. A five-year study, conducted by the ANZAC Research Institute in Sydney, involved 55 men using hormonal injections and implants as birth control. None of the men's partners conceived and there were no side effects compared to other trials, which have been terminated due to unforeseen problems. The contraceptive works by inhibiting sperm production through injections of progestin every three months. Since this hormone also reduces the sex drive, testosterone had to be implanted under the men's skin every four months to maintain their libido. After a 12-month period, participants would stop the treatment to recover their fertility.
"This is the first time a reversible male contraceptive that will suppress sperm production reliably and reversibly has been fully tested by couples," Professor David Handelsman, the study's director, was quoted by Reuters as saying.
Melissa Dear, a spokesperson for the Family Planning Association, told CNN
that she thought it was unlikely that the final product would be marketed in
the form of an injection. "It's too awkward a method," she said. "This study
has brought the reality of the male contraceptive pill one step closer, but
we need to look at combining both hormones in a tablet form." She added that
although the Family Planning Association welcomed the news, she anticipated
that it would be five to 10 years before a male contraceptive was available
commercially. (2)
Hormones would be administered to make the patient receptive to the pregnancy.
In vitro fertilization techniques would induce an ectopic pregnancy by implanting
an embryo and placenta into the abdominal cavity, just under the peritoneum
(the surrounding lining). Once implantation is complete, the intake of hormones
ceases, because the pregnancy itself, as expected, takes over. The embryo secretes
sufficient hormones to maintain its own growth and development. The delivery
will require open surgery to remove the baby and the placenta. Removal of the
placenta is the real danger because it forms such intimate connections with
surrounding vessels that massive hemorrhage is likely. Implantation may have
also involved other structures in the abdomen, including the bowel and it is
possible that parts of other organs may need to be removed. Several physicians
who are well-accustomed to advanced and dangerous forms of ectopic pregnancies
should be on-hand to handle any complications. (3)
The first time I heard of these reports I was just amazed by the concept of men giving birth. But, really thinking about it I realized how the idea could take away a women's identity. For so long, woman have struggled to display themselves as strong beings capable of anything and used the ability of giving birth as part of their argument. If men take that away from women, then women lose part of the argument; moreover, the battle.
The perception of males can also change as well. There could be men who would want to raise a child on their own, as mothers who undergo artificial insemination. This scientific revelation could possibly turn into the reevaluation of gender roles; if there should be any or if new criteria is needed.
Nowadays, it seems as if there has been a role reversal. Fathers have been seen taking the job of caring for the children, while the mothers go off into the work field. Some women will feel inclined to make the men sacrifice the carrying of the child. At the same time, a couple might want to share responsibilities if they wish to bear more than one child. This could drastically change our future demographics, since it has been calculated that by the year 2020 there will be a lesser population of children. This new light of male pregnancy could rise the sagging decline of young children in the near future.
The new found discovery that the population of children is diminishing in the near future could be contributed by the advancement of male contraceptives. It doubles the rate of preventive measures and chances of impregnating. The effectiveness of these products will then encourage the administering of these male contraceptives, allowing the nation at large to feel safe using said drugs.
With the introduction of male pregnancy, there will be an expected growth in the percentage of young children residing in the world. Infertile couples will be given the gift of conceiving, homosexual couples will no longer need surrogate mothers, and males without partners could have children of their own as well. Many things could change, until then one can only imagine how.
(1) http://wwww.gsreport.com/articles/art000085.html
(2) http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/10/06/male.pill/index.html
Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities
Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities has 50 remote-ready activities, which work for either your classroom or remote teaching.
About Student Papers
| This paper reflects the research and thoughts of a student at the time the paper was written for a course at Bryn Mawr College. Like other materials on Serendip, it is not intended to be "authoritative" but rather to help others further develop their own explorations. Web links were active as of the time the paper was posted but are not updated. |
What's New? Subscribe to Serendip Studio
A Random Walk
New Topics
-
1 week 3 days ago
-
1 week 6 days ago
-
2 weeks 1 hour ago
-
2 weeks 16 hours ago
-
2 weeks 16 hours ago
Comments
I would gladly put myself up
I would gladly put myself up for this. I wouldn't mind be able to carry a child and nurture it even if my s.o can't.
i want my husband to have a baby or babies
i love being a mom and being pregnant.somedays being pregnant can be taxing especialy if you have take care of six year old boy and 4 year old girl and 2 year old girl and twin boys that are kicking you constanly and chasing three kids while your carring a large basketball in front you.i love when the babies kick me.i talk to them.my husband and three kids love when the move.my husband wore emphthy belly in my lamaze class for 48 hours straight only took it off showering.he was one man pass the assinment in class.he was only one men class was expecting twins.his emphty belly gave him sensation of carring 50 pounds and twin babies kicking him .his emphty belly had two seven steel balls that represting our two boys.he loved when babies kick but he complained about his back.i called hymotist to make feel like he gave birth to his twin babies.we did in our home in master bedroom in birth tub.i video tape his birth.he said thank god you have babies in the family.he did very well on his pregnancy and birth .kids were at grandma place for the weekend.
I WANT TO BE PREGNANT
I WANT TO BE PREGNANT Is that so weird that i a 20 year old heterosexual single male want to give birth to my own child, i want to experience all the joys of motherhood, and have a big belly and experience the kicking and everything, i would happilly go throug labour and lose my masculinity (once id stored some sperm of course) to do so yet i am a full male i like beer and steak and sports and everything i dont feel like a women i dont want to be a women and im not even saying that i would do it for my non-existent wifes sake i right now want to have a baby of my own, that ive carried for nine months and then given birth to i also wouldnt mind breast feeding as well if only for the fun of having breasts but i want to feel a living ting grow inside me and experience that joy and pain i also in a non-masochistic way want to ecperience the pain of child birth as well so i can fully appreciate the matter and miracle of it all, if i could i would get up from my computer right now and walk to the hospital to be impregnated not for the publicity but for the joy of it all, i will even go through some time of experiencing period pains if i had too i want to be able to rub my belly and know that i am keeping her (i want a girl dont ask me why) safe so i am very excited by this prospect.
I wanna be a test subject.
All my life I have wanted nothing more than to carry a child to term inside my body. I want to be a mother(well father in thiscase) to a child of my own blood. If its posible in theory then I want to be one of the first subjects to test this. I will have a child grow in me and I'm willing to give anything for this chance.
Male pregnancy
(Economy wise)
I would love to get pregant it would be a evolution to man kind. Once men change to a half man/ woman their kids would be part both genders. Save the population from dropping any lower.
(Love)
I would be glade to bed over on my knees ang go crazy with hundreds of men to have a baby. If it don't oh well I love the effort of trying anyway.
(Womem)
Get a life you think pregnacy is so hard. Men go threw alot more in their life. That is worse than, pregnancy.
When you put a child support against us you screw up our lives. The women act law needs abolished. Women are to PROTECTED/ SUPPORTED MORE BETTER THAN MEN.
So stop you're crying and, suck it up it's time for evolution in MEN KIND.
male pregnancy
i love for my husband to experence a pregnancy like have three times.iam pregnant with twin boys that constantly kick me and punching me in my ribs and taking care of the house and seven year old son and four old girl and 2 year old girl.i love when baby kick and moves for the first time .but giving birth is hard and extremly rewarding experance of pregnancy is.my husband is wonderfull man and great father and one hell of lamaze coach.i love to hold his hand when he giving birth to our baby or babies.i love coach him and video tape the birth be supportive birth coach.
men having babies
i think this topic is interesting... ugh i really dont know whether i like it or not. i would love for my boyfriend to be able to experience pregnancy because he tried to be as involved as possible during our first. but it just seems... unsafe.
I'd be very happy to let men
I'd be very happy to let men have the opportunity to carry and nurture a child. If I were married I'd happily give my husband the chance to carry our baby. I think a man with his own child nestled in his belly would be a wonderful thing!
male pregnancy
i would not hesitate to go through with this as it would be a great breakthrough for women who cant carry a child to term where the husband can carry the child in her place ( a wonderfull idea)
men giving birth
I only wish they'd develop the technology for men to be able to have a natural birth-my husband keeps bragging he could do it, even after watching me endure hours of excruciating labor. I would LOVE to give him a chance to put his money where his mouth is!
No Objections Here
I don't see any problem with science allowing a man to be able to choose to have a child. In fact, I think this could be a really good thing for both genders. There are a lot of men out there that I think would love the opportunity to participate in child bearing, and I know there are women who don't want to bear children, but do want kids.
I'd carry a baby
I'm a male and I've always wanted to know what it'd be like to carry a baby in my belly for nine months and give birth. I'd love to be able to become pregnant, even if it was just as a surrogate. I want a big pregnant tummy!
Men giving birth
Now from where i come from this would be looked down on and immoral in every way, But why yeah yeah God did not make us men this way Im 25 and wouldn't mind if i had to carry to term for my spouse. I have a deep love for my son and wished I could have done more for my spouse during her term other the be there to hold her hair back in the morning and hold her hand at birth while telling her to breath and push. All in all this isn't as bad as most people make it out to be, If god didn't want us to be some way he would have taken the ability for us to learn how to do it. Its called evolution its been around for millions of years people and its not going to stop any time soon! So plz let me carry my next child it would love to know what this great and touching experience my spouse talked about...
male pregnancy abdominal cavity
In all discussions so far involving the possiblity of a male human , becoming pregnant thru the use of his abdominal cavity seems to overlook the uniqueness of all human tissue on the human body known as the ever expansive / contractive "scotum"...and let's have a look as to why this placement might be a far better choice than the abdominal cavity. First is the issue of a blood supply being large enough to provide a suffient supply of nutrients and a portal for the removal of blood bourne waste that would be naturally occuring in the fetus.This feat is done on an going basis all the time in every males testicles all the time and completly unnoticed by him at all.The chief fear amongst most doctors is the complications involving the pregnancy being contained in the males abdomin as it is in the female. Let's go back to where life really begins...in a mans testicles.for approxiamatly 90 days a sperm is confined to, and feed by the testicles until they have achieved proper maturity for expellsion (birth) during sex.when said sperm is ejaculated it is a live-wiggling ,self determined, naturally guided, aggressive being, of temporary existence. until it meets up with an egg. Note how the mans sperm must have the wherewithall to inniate life. It is these same testicles that contain all the genetic blueprints for making males and females alike...so if anything a males basic essences is he's the safekeeper of all human possiblities from a genetic perspective...both xy (males) & xx (female) chromosomes are indigonious to his make up, as a male human being. Males...unlike the females have only (ONLY) the genitics and capability to produce female chomosomes and no annate ability to produce any male (y) chromosomes unless instructed genetically how to do so by a males sperm...males have the built in capacity to handle male and female live stock internally because all of humanity and all of its variants originate in the males testicles. So any rejections of either sexes should not be a big issue as predicted. Secondly...the issue involving the septics during birth would be greatly removed, by the fetus taking root in the ever expanding scrotal area. if you really think about it, the testicles are treated by a males body, as if it were a perminent, tiny pregnancy ,of two identical twins that never (size wise) grow to term. Science has completely missed the boat on this one, as to where to locate a male-fetal pregnancy...Wherelse, but in the genital region, and on a male this should never include the abdominal area, but instead some place much more warm and adjustable...his nut sac.
Men Giving Birth
I want you to be my human experiment Just for the sake of Technology.. I Want You to give Birth to my baby because this is the only way! I want you to grow your breasts. .I want you to forget that you are a man.. I want you to Obey.. I want YOU, I really do...
Would volunteer for this.
My wife had two children to another man before we met and almost died......so they had to cut and tie her tubes. I would happily carry a baby so that she and I could have a son or daughter together (Already taking female hormones just for the fun of it, so I wouldn't have a problem taking them for the sake of having a baby. This would be truly awesome!!!!!
An amazing feat in human ingenuity
I think it would be absolutely spectacular if ectopic pregnancies could be implemented. Men virtually have NO role in reproduction as it is. They sit and twidle their thumbs through out pregnancies and I'm sorry but sick of all the feminists saying that "men couldn't handle it, they are too whiny". That isn't an argument, it barely constitues as a joke. Men could handle it and it would give us a reason to exist and prevent us from being outdeveloped by parthonegenesis. More than that, pregnancy is a miracle. Everyone says so. And why should miracles be just for women?
male pregnancy
I for one would not mind becoming pregnant. I would not be doing it for publicity,I would be doing it because my wife cannot carry to term. Another reason why,is because she says she wants something from the 2 of us. If I was able to give birth for her,I know that would mean the world to her.It would also make me feel more of a woman than I already feel. I am a female born in a males body ,and I cannot wait for the day I become one. My breasts are very feminine and large ,my wife hasn't had anything negative to say about them ,only that they would be large enough to breats feed twins !
male pregnancy
I am a gentic male who is hteralsexual that would like to carry a child to term in my own belly. I would eaven if its possable have all the female pregnancy organs transplanted in to me so I could deliver just like a gentic woman would in between the legs.
I am very opened minded.
I am very opened minded. Yet, to come to terms with this is unbearable. It's good to see our tax money is going to good cause's.......
men giving birth
that is not normal for a man to give birth. It's not something for a man to do.