h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This may have already been mentioned and if so I apologise - don't have the time at the moment to read the various backlogs!

I seem to remember being taught that when a girl is born her ovaries contain all the eggs that will ever be released. The female pill, from what I understand, supresses the release of the said egg which is why as a birth control method it has such high success. Eggs do not stopped being produced as they are all already there; it's like locking people in a room - no more can come in but then again none can leave until you want them.

The Male pill will halt the production of sperm (or make them useless) which, again using the same analogy, would be akin to locking the door from the inside, shooting all those people already in there and only letting more people in when the door can be opened again.

I don't think monkeying with hormones is great in any shape or form (although the spontinaeity that the Pill allows takes away some of the feelings of guilt ... ) is a great idea, but doing so in a manner which completely halts the production of something doesn't seem right.

I for one don't want to risk fathering legions of Ekkilets (chance would be a fine thing!) until the right Mrs Ekki has made herself known to me but I also know that if I were a girl I'd be instantly suspicious of any random man who claimed to be on the pill in much the same way as I am instantly wary of any random girl who said she was - nothing worse than a paternity suit - they never fit properly for starters, and like childhood photos they have a habit of turning up when you're at your most vulnerable.

I know I couldn't trust myself to take something quite so regularly, I don't know any man who could, and if I were a girl I'd still need reassuring ...