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Researchers for the Parsemus Foundation are in the midst of conducting laboratory trials for a new male contraceptive injection but they are still wary as they are still unaware of the possible long term side effects of the procedure.

The new male contraceptive injection works in a similar way that a vasectomy works except that it does not involve any cutting. The contraceptive is a porous polymer gel that is injected into the vas deferens and lets small water-soluble molecules through the tube but stops bigger cells like the sperm from passing through, the 10News reported. The gel stays softy in the body for years and in a recent round of testing was flushed out with an injection of baking soda.

The latest study on the male contraceptive injection strikes out one of the feared side effects of the procedure which is irreversibility. The study followed the effects of the gel in seven rabbits in a period of 14 months. The sperm count and health was measured and was found to have returned to baseline levels after flushing out the gel, the News.com.au reported.

The Parsemus Foundation believes that the product which has the working name of Vasalgel, only has side effects similar to a regular vasectomy. These include sperm granulomas, pressure build up, and possible sterility.

Sperm granulomas are the sperm cells leaked into surrounding tissues and are attacked by the body and the resulting lumps can cause pain. The researchers believe that the pressure build up will be highly unlikely as the gel allows fluids to pass through.

The issue on possible sterility is still up in the air because while the procedure was successfully reversed in rabbits, the researchers haven't been able to do the same in dogs and baboons.

Male contraceptives like the Vasalgel and a similar product called RISUG in India are a welcome development in contraception. It is widely seen as making relationships more equal as the burden on contraception will not fall solely on the female anymore and give couples more options.