A third of men would be willing to take a male version of the contraceptive pill, according to new research.
The study found that the same percentage of men would consider using the pill as the percentage of women who currently use it.
The poll, from YouGov, also found that among 25 to 49 year olds - the group most likely to be sexually active - this figure rises to 40 per cent.
But a quarter of men said they would “definitely not” be willing to take it, with another quarter saying they would “probably” not.
Two thirds of sexually active 18 to 24-year-old women currently use the pill.
Both men and women said they were concerned about side effects, including mood swings, bloating and skin problems.
The development of a male pill could bring equality to the responsibility for contraception in relationships.
Research found that eight in ten Brits said men and women should take equal responsibility for making sure appropriate contraception is used.
Men and women are almost equally likely to take this view.
But 70 per cent of women felt they tended to take more responsibility, with only 40 per cent of men agreeing.
Just one in five women think men and women take equal levels of responsibility at present, compared to four in ten men.
