Bridging the gap between male and female fertility control; contraception-on-demand

Contraception-on-demand refers to contraceptive methods that are only employed when needed, such as barrier or postcoital methods, as opposed to technologies, such as the IUD or pill, where the exposure is continuous irrespective of the risk of pregnancy. The development of women-centered approaches to contraception-on-demand is a high priority in current contraceptive research, with emphasis on the 15- to 25-year-old demographic. Since this cohort of potential users is also at high risk of contracting sexually transmitted disease, topical methods that would provide simultaneous protection against both fertility and infection are of particular interest. This review examines the current strategies that are being pursued to achieve this objective.