Neem Oil: A Natural Contraceptive

If there is one thing we all like natural it’s sex. The less incumbents the more enjoyable, but we tend to think that we have no choice but to rely on big pharma for our contraceptive needs,  when in fact nature has at least one plant solution for every one of our needs. Indigenous peoples in Africa and India have known and applied neem oil as a contraceptive for over a millennia. If that isn’t enough, modern science has also tested and proven the efficacy of neem oil as a contraceptive.

That said, this option is really for mature adults in a long-term relationship. Application requires a bit of planning that should be discussed in advance of the act. Although the majority of the responsibility falls on the woman to apply, both parties need to be aware of the window-of-opportunity so you can both act accordingly.

Spermicide

A 1985 study [1] has shown that neem is a powerful spermicidal agent. Amazingly, human sperms become completely immobile within 30 seconds of contact with neem oil, thus when neem oil was applied inside the vagina, before sexual intercourse, it successfully averts pregnancy.

“Both neem paste and neem oil can be used as effective deterrents of pregnancy. They have to be applied locally on the vagina” says Dr Neelam, a professor at Department of Prasuti Tantra, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. When asked if there were any risks involved, Dr Neelam said, “None. If anything, it is beneficial for the vagina since it prevents infections of any type.”

Furthermore, even after extensive use of neem oil as a contraceptive, fertility is NOT adversely affected, rather women can conceive without any complications once treatment discontinues. Regular usage of neem oil is a cheap, natural and an effective method to prevent pregnancy. Neem oil causes no irritation or discomfort as chemical-based spermicidal foams do, rather it doubles as a lubricant and even offers an added degree of protection from sexually transmitted diseases.  The only draw back is the pungent scent that is neem oil’s signature.

How Neem Oil Works

Application is pretty straightforward. Simply soak a cotton ball in neem oil and insert that cotton ball into the vagina. Remove cotton ball after 2 minutes and dispose. From that point the neem oil will serve as a spermicide for up to 4 hours.

Side Effects of Neem Oil

There are no side effects to using neem oil. In fact, it also helps to prevent STDs. The only draw-back is that neem oil gives off a pungent scent that takes some getting used to.. When combined with normal body juices, the effect is a pleasant funk that dissipates before it can be a distraction.

Neem As A Male Contraceptive

Don’t get too excited, because although effective, there aren’t many men you can count on to due the due diligence required.

Another study conducted on the subject in 1983 showed that neem could be just as effective if taken orally. According to the test, mice, rats, rabbits and guinea pigs were fed an extract of fresh green neem leaves (a bitter tonic). There was a 66.7 percent reduction in fertility after six weeks, 80 percent reduction after nine weeks and 100 percent after 11 weeks! The method is absolutely safe as it didn’t affect sperm production in the animals tested, nor did it affect the sexual performance or libido. They regained their fertility in 4-6 weeks after the treatment was stopped.

Multi-Purpose Neem Oil

Neem oil is really remarkable considering all the ways it can be effectively used. Here are a few applications where neem oil stands alone:

1. Organic pesticide- If you have a garden and you need to get rid of the pests eating at your produce, you can apply neem oil to water (1:10) and spray on your plants. It will retard the ability of the pest to reproduce, eventually eliminating them from your garden.
2. Mosquito repellant- The aroma and taste of neem oil drive away mosquitoes, giving you the relief you need.
3. Fungal infections- Skin related diseases such as eczema, ringworm, and psoriasis are born of a fungi. Regular application of neem oil gets rid of fungal infections. A good compliment for this treatment is our tea tree black soap body wash.
4. Dandruff relief- The scales that cause dandruff are easily treated by applying neem oil to the area for 7 days. Prior to applying it is suggested that you wash your hair with peppermint black soap body wash and once you’ve completed the 7 days, wash it again. Once treatment is done a weekly wash and application of neem oil will keep dandruff at bay.

Ghana is well endowed with neem trees, thus we’re able to provide a pure, undiluted version of the neem oil for your application. Get yours here.

References:

1. Sinna, K. C. & Riai, S. S. (1985). Neem Oil: An Ideal Contraceptive. Biological Memoirs, 10 (1), 2.
2. Upadhyay, S. N., Kaushic, C, & Talwar, G. P. (1990). Antifertility effects of neem oil by single intrauterine administration: A Novel Method For Contraception. Proceeding of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 242(1305), 175-179
3. Sadre, N. L. V. Y., Deshpande, K. N., & Mendulkar, D. H. Nandal. 1984. Male Antifertility Activity of Neem Oil. 473-482