Marthe Voegeli

Last updated
Marthe Voegeli MD
Education M.D., University of Paris and University of Berlin, Masters Degree from Columbia University
Years active1921–1950
Known forHeat-based male contraceptive
Medical career
Profession Physician and medical researcher

Marthe Voegeli was a Swiss physician and pioneer in the field of male contraceptive research.

Between 1930 and 1950, Voegeli practiced medicine in India at her own private hospital. During this time, with the assistance of 9 volunteers, she experimented with a process of heat-based contraception. [1]

The process was simple and effective. A man would bathe his testes in a hot bath for 45 minutes a day for 3 weeks. On the completion of the 3 weeks, a period of infertility was recorded by the volunteers.

Different bath temperatures produced varying lengths of infertility. A bath of 116 °F (46.7 °C) would provide contraceptive protection for 6 months. A bath of 110° (43.3 °C) would provide contraception for at least 4 months.

After fertility returned in the males, the conception of healthy offspring with normal childhood development was recorded. [2]

Voegeli retired from medicine in 1950 and spent the next 20 years involved in efforts to publicise the contraceptive method, which were largely ignored. [3]

Related Research Articles

Coitus interruptus, also known as withdrawal, pulling out, or the pull-out method, is a method of birth control in which a man, during sexual intercourse, withdraws his penis from a woman's vagina prior to ejaculation and then directs his ejaculate (semen) away from the vagina in an effort to avoid insemination.

Condom Device for birth control and STI prevention

A condom is a sheath-shaped barrier device used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are both male and female condoms. With proper use—and use at every act of intercourse—women whose partners use male condoms experience a 2% per-year pregnancy rate. With typical use the rate of pregnancy is 18% per-year. Their use greatly decreases the risk of gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, hepatitis B, and HIV/AIDS. To a lesser extent, they also protect against genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), and syphilis.

Emergency contraception Birth control measures taken after sexual intercourse

Emergency contraception (EC) are birth control measures that may be used after sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy. Emergency contraception has not been shown to affect the rates of abortion within a country.

Fertility awareness

Fertility awareness (FA) refers to a set of practices used to determine the fertile and infertile phases of a woman's menstrual cycle. Fertility awareness methods may be used to avoid pregnancy, to achieve pregnancy, or as a way to monitor gynecological health.

Combined oral contraceptive pill Birth control method which is taken orally

The combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP), often referred to as the birth control pill or colloquially as "the pill", is a type of birth control that is designed to be taken orally by women. It includes a combination of an estrogen and a progestogen. When taken correctly, it alters the menstrual cycle to eliminate ovulation and prevent pregnancy.

Family planning Planning of when to have children, and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans

Family planning services are "educational, comprehensive medical or social activities which enable individuals, including minors, to determine the number and spacing of their children freely and to select how this may be achieved." Family planning may involve consideration of the number of children a woman wishes to have, including the choice to have no children and the age at which she wishes to have them. These matters are influenced by external factors such as marital situation, career considerations, financial position, and any disabilities that may affect their ability to have children and raise them. If sexually active, family planning may involve the use of contraception and other techniques to control the timing of reproduction.

Diaphragm (birth control)

The diaphragm is a barrier method of birth control. It is moderately effective, with a one-year failure rate of around 12% with typical use. It is placed over the cervix with spermicide before sex and left in place for at least six hours after sex. Fitting by a healthcare provider is generally required.

Levonorgestrel Hormonal medication used for birth control

Levonorgestrel is a hormonal medication which is used in a number of birth control methods. It is combined with an estrogen to make combination birth control pills. As an emergency birth control, sold under the brand name Plan B among others, it is useful within 120 hours of unprotected sex. The more time that has passed since sex, the less effective the medication becomes, and it does not work after pregnancy (implantation) has occurred. It decreases the chances of pregnancy by 57 to 93%. In an intrauterine device (IUD), such as Mirena among others, it is effective for the long-term prevention of pregnancy. A levonorgestrel-releasing implant is also available in some countries.

Vas-occlusive contraception

Vas-occlusive contraception is a form of male contraception that blocks sperm transport in the vas deferens, the tubes that carry sperm from the epididymis to the ejaculatory ducts. Various vas-occlusive contraceptive methods have been researched for human-use, with interest in both reversible and irreversible methods, with the purpose of finding a suitable alternative to vasectomy and possible hormonal contraceptive treatments that are currently being researched. Potential methods include clips, plugs, valves, polymers, hydrogels, and other devices.

Reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance

Reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance (RISUG), formerly referred to as the synthetic polymer styrene maleic anhydride (SMA), is the development name of a male contraceptive injection developed at IIT Kharagpur in India by the team of Dr. Sujoy K. Guha. Phase III clinical trials are underway in India, slowed by insufficient volunteers. It has been patented in India, China, Bangladesh, and the United States. A method based on RISUG, Vasalgel, is currently under development in the US by Parsemus foundation. However there has been little or no progress in terms of bringing the product to market.

Male contraceptive

Male contraceptives, also known as male birth control, are methods of preventing pregnancy that solely involve the male physiology. The most common kinds of male contraception include condoms, outercourse, and vasectomy. In domestic animals, castration is commonly used for contraception. Other forms of male contraception are in various stages of research and development. These include methods like RISUG/VasalGel and ultrasound.

Vaginal ring

Vaginal rings are polymeric drug delivery devices designed to provide controlled release of drugs for intravaginal administration over extended periods of time. The ring is inserted into the vagina and provides contraception protection. Vaginal rings come in one size that fits most women.

An experimental male contraceptive method involves heating the testicles so that they cannot produce sperm. Sperm are best produced at a temperature slightly below body temperature. The muscles around a male's scrotum involuntarily tighten if the man's body temperature drops, and they loosen, allowing the testes to hang, if the body temperature rises. This is the body's way of keeping the sperm at an ideal temperature. Although research has not addressed methods of applying heat, sperm production can be disrupted with increased temperature. Some suggest exposure to high temperatures can affect infertility for months.

Beginning of pregnancy controversy

Controversy over the beginning of pregnancy occurs in different contexts, particularly as it is discussed within the abortion debate in the United States. Because an abortion is defined as ending an established pregnancy, rather than as destroying a fertilized egg, depending on when pregnancy is considered to begin, some methods of birth control as well as some methods of infertility treatment might be classified as causing abortions.

Comparison of birth control methods

There are many different methods of birth control, which vary in what is required of the user, side effects, and effectiveness. It is also important to note that not each type of birth control is ideal for each user. Outlined here are the different types of barrier methods, spermicides, or coitus interruptus that must be used at or before every act of intercourse. Immediate contraception, like physical barriers, include diaphragms, caps, the contraceptive sponge, and female condoms may be placed several hours before intercourse begins. The female condom should be removed immediately after intercourse, and before arising.[1] Some other female barrier methods must be left in place for several hours after sex. Depending on the form of spermicide used, they may be applied several minutes to an hour before intercourse begins. Additionally, the male condom should be applied when the penis is erect so that it is properly applied prior to intercourse.

Family Planning Association

FPA was a UK registered charity working to enable people to make informed choices about sex and to enjoy sexual health. It was the national affiliate for the International Planned Parenthood Federation in the United Kingdom. It celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2010. Its motto was "Talking sense about sex". The charity was placed into liquidation on 15 May 2019, but the FPA name continues as a limited company selling sexual health resources.

Contraceptive implant Implantable medical device used for birth control

A contraceptive implant is an implantable medical device used for the purpose of birth control. The implant may depend on the timed release of hormones to hinder ovulation or sperm development, the ability of copper to act as a natural spermicide within the uterus, or it may work using a non-hormonal, physical blocking mechanism. As with other contraceptives, a contraceptive implant is designed to prevent pregnancy, but it does not protect against sexually transmitted infections.

Birth control Method of preventing human pregnancy

Birth control, also known as contraception and fertility control, is a method or device used to prevent pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only became available in the 20th century. Planning, making available, and using birth control is called family planning. Some cultures limit or discourage access to birth control because they consider it to be morally, religiously, or politically undesirable.

Birth control in the United States History of birth control in the United States

Birth control is a method or device used to prevent pregnancy. Birth control has been around since ancient times, but effective and safe forms of birth control have only become available in the 20th century. There is a complicated and long history regarding birth control in the United States, which will be discussed below, in addition to several of the most prominent policies and laws regarding their use. For more information regarding what birth control is and forms of it, visit the birth control page.

Charles Lee Buxton was an American gynecologist, professor at the Yale School of Medicine, and appellant in US Supreme Court case Griswold v. Connecticut. He best known as a birth control advocate and, along with Estelle Griswold, party to several legal cases that ultimately repealed Connecticut's Comstock laws and established a Constitutional right to privacy for married couples.

References