CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
            The Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary of Current English defines “Contraceptives as a drug, device of practice used to prevent a woman becoming pregnant.”1 This definition though well embracing but does not include its utilization as a preventive measure against the spread of sexually transmitted diseases; such as AIDS/HIV.  The act of contraception has been an old practice even from our forefathers who designed the timing of mating with their wives or not depending on whether they want to make babies.  They have a mental picture of when the monthly menstrual flow of their wives takes place or how long their wives have to breast feed their babies to avoid unwanted pregnancies.  Some traditional women even go through the extra-mile of wearing contraceptive bands on their waist to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
            Each year, women around the world experience 75 million unwanted pregnancies.  Unwanted pregnancy can occur for two main reasons; either the couple was not using contraceptives, or the method they were using failed.  There are many reasons why people do not use contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancy, including lack of access to family planning information and services; incest or rape; personal or religious beliefs; inadequate knowledge about the risks of pregnancy following unprotected sexual relations; and women’s limited decision-making ability with regard to sexual relations and contraceptive use.2 Many women are deprived of family planning services.
            The use of contraceptives by both males and females has been accepted and widely practiced in the developed world.  This has not been the case in the developing world where the male chauvinistic cultural belief that women should protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies; instead of the men also making it possible to use contraceptives.  The act of child bearing is the combined effort of both males and females, but in the developing world; it is seen as a primary function of the female gender.  This is the reason why the usage of contraceptives among men in these areas has not been encouraged as the female contraceptives. The patriarchal nature of the African society does not seem to help or encourage male contraception rather it makes men to believe that they do not have any role to play in reproductive health.
            In the developed world, the populace has overgrown the persistent myths and negative attitude of men towards contraception.  However, the fact that male contraception in the underdeveloped countries has not been encouraged has led to the paucity of information about it and also reduced the quest for knowledge in this area.  Studies show that men want access to better contraceptives.  In a recent study of British men, 80% placed a hypothetical male pill as one of their top three contraceptive choices (Brooks, 1988)3.  Another study found that over 60% of men in Germany, Spain, Brazil and Mexico were willing to use a new method of male contraception (Heinemaan, 2006).4  In another study on “why Nigeria adolescent seek abortion rather than contraception:  Evidence from focus group discussions” where youths were asked about contraceptive availability, perceived advantages of method used, side effects and young people’s reasons for using or not using contraceptives?  It was found that the fear of future infertility was an overriding factor in adolescent decisions to rely on induced abortion rather than contraception.5
Methods of Contraception -  are more in the female gender than the male.