Contraceptive technology keeps surprising us every year with new designs, effects, or methods. One new method is called COSO, a device designed by Rebecca Weiss, a German design graduate from the Technical University of Munich, aimed at members of the public with male reproductive organs.
COSO is designed for use at home without any difficulty or requiring difficult instructions. The method is as simple as submerging the user’s testicles in the device with warm water for a few minutes until it automatically turns off. The function of COSO is to convert a normal hot bath into a bath of ultrasonic waves, as it has been shown that this can prevent the regeneration of masculine gametes for six months. This invention could become the new main contraceptive option, as it doesn’t have side effects related to hormone ingestion, is not permanent, doesn’t require any type of medical prescription or procedure, doesn’t hurt, and is reusable.
The objective of this particular gadget is to be a temporary form of protection without the need for using hormones, surgery, or barrier methods.
Weiss based her idea on a 2012 study from the Parsemus Foundation, which studied the effects of ultrasonic waves as a contraceptive method in monkeys and dogs. This study had the goal of reducing the canine population, and they showed that ultrasound waves result in a permanent contraceptive effect in dogs. A 2015 study showed that when the ultrasound waves are absorbed by tissue they are converted into heat, and the increase in the testicles’ temperature results in impairment in spermatogenesis, the process by which haploid spermatozoa develop from germ cells. This study was performed in different species of monkeys and dogs with different sizes of testicles, frequencies, duration, and intensity. Despite the success of this study in dogs, the method didn’t gain popularity because it was impractical, as stray dogs would have to be kept in shelters for several days to be treated. Additionally, when treating stray dogs, the government usually looks for a way to lower the testosterone level to decrease aggressive behavior, and ultrasound waves do not affect testosterone production.
This invention could become the new main contraceptive option, as it doesn’t have side effects related to hormone ingestion, is not permanent, doesn’t require any type of medical prescription or procedure, doesn’t hurt, and is reusable.
Severino Gonzalez, a specialist in immunology from Spain who is currently working at the private lab Instituto de Estudios Celulares y Moleculares, was asked about his opinion regarding this contraceptive method in both humans and dogs. He agreed that it might not be practical to implement it in dogs, as from his experience, treatments that require more than one day can be tedious and can lead to the shelter giving up and not continuing the treatment. Regarding the COSO contraceptive device, Gonzalez thinks that more information should be published, as it’s extremely important to know the frequency of the ultrasound waves.
“We don’t know how strong the waves are. Despite saying that it doesn’t have secondary effects, more research should be done about the effect of prolonged use and the consequences in the tissue of the testicles,” said Severino. He also highlighted that this type of study requires more time to be completely safe. He stated that he thinks the COSO device “is a good idea, but if Weiss wants to start trials in human volunteers, we will need more than just words.” He is worried about what people in Germany will think of this device, as the history of sterilization in Germany is problematic because of the Nazi’s eugenicist sterilization programs that focused on people with illnesses, LGBTQ people, and religious groups.
Severino concluded that we should wait more time before putting our hopes in this product, as it can be either revolutionary and useful or problematic and dangerous. He is hoping to hear more from COSO again in the future with more data and evidence that solves all his doubts. However, this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t expect anything from COSO, as it is a promising technology that hopefully, we will have available in the future.
Reproduction in Domestic Animals (2015). DOI: 10.1111/rda.12548